Turbulence
by LovelyJuice
Summary: <html><head></head>Bella Swan and Dr. Edward Cullen meet on a eventful plane trip on the way to Nashville, TN. She's heading out to explore her dreams, and he's visiting family. The connection they make on the flight can't be ignored, and it brings them together over and over in the Music City. How long will it take before they realize what everyone else immediately sees? Lemons! Complete!</html>
1. Chapter 1

**Hi Readers! Welcome to my story! Originally, I had no idea how involved or intricate _Turbulence_ was going to get, but here I am in the midst of it, and _whew!_ I'm enjoying it. Anyway, I decided to pop back to the beginning chapters and say hello! **

**If the mood strikes you, feel free to review the chapters you enjoyed reading. Tell me what you liked, want to see more of, etc. I'm new to this fiction game, so the more feedback the are going to be some mature chapters, so this story is probably best for the adult crowd. Obviously Stephanie Meyers owns the characters, but I thank her for letting me borrow them and do naughty things to them. ;) **

**Now the seat belt sign has just turned on, so buckle up and get ready for some Turbulence coming your way...**

Chapter 1

Bella Swan raced through the airport frantically, dragging her rolling suitcase behind her. Airports were already a headache, but this trip was made worse due to the fact that she was dressed up in a stuffy business suit and heels. She was currently rushing to make her very early, very Monday-morning flight out of Seattle's busy Sea-Tac airport, headed toward a week-long conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Bella was a writer, a songwriter in particular, and she and her fellow artists were converging upon the Music City to draw inspiration from the prominent legends and up-and-coming artists that filled the stages of Broadway and the recording studios of Music Row.

Bella was a mix of nerves. This was her first conference as a writer. She interrupted her own thoughts with a harsh admonition…_ Songwriter, I'm a songwriter!_ Bella wasn't used to calling herself a songwriter; she had been writing down her thoughts for years, sometimes in poem form, sometimes in prose, and lately, in lyrical form. A few months ago, her musically-inclined coworker, Angela, came upon Bella scribbling aimlessly in her journal one day during a coffee break, and swooped down to nosily read over her shoulder. Bella was mortified, but after encouraging prompting from her dear and trustworthy friend, Bella forked over her journal and let Angela peruse more of her work. Angela then became a dog with a bone, urging Bella to work on her craft and quit her dead-end, thankless job as an assistant to the uber-bitch from hell, Jessica.

"You are way overqualified for your job, Bella!" Angela had practically yelled at her over a bottle of wine one evening. They were curled up on Bella's couch, trying to drink away a particularly trying day of following Jessica, excuse me, Ms. Stanley, around and doing her bidding. "She just got her job as Executive Editor because her father owns the publishing firm. She wouldn't know proper punctuation if it bit her in the ass!" Bella had barked out a laugh; Angela never swore, but she sure was worked up that night. "You do all her dirty work, and she gets all the credit! I don't care if you might move up in the ranks from all this. She treats you like dirt, and you deserve better! And with the way you write, you shouldn't even be trying to edit other people's work—you should be writing it yourself!"

Bella had rolled her eyes at her animated friend. Angela just didn't get it. She was a graphic designer for the publishing firm, handling the digital images and photography for the educational sector of the company. She was a brilliant artist and she never had to worry about doing grunt work at the beginning; everyone loved Angela's work and rewarded her handsomely for it.

But Bella was never known to hold her ground for long, especially in the face of tipsy, dramatic best friends, and so she finally relented to allowing Angela's musician boyfriend Ben to look at her writing. He was floored. He'd always thought Bella was a cool girl, but he had no idea she had this side to her. He immediately called around to some friends and bandmates, and before she knew it, others were looking at her writings and discussing plans and pieces and publishing. It was all too much! Bella was a very private person, and within the span of just a couple weeks, Ben and all his musician friends were trying to get her to write songs…for them!

Bella was just about ready to run for the hills, and luckily Angela noticed her friend's anxiety. She made the suggestion that Bella approach this frightening experience like an experiment, and before getting too much into the mix of things, she should observe and see if this line of work was really something she wanted. They did some research, and quickly found a few songwriter's retreats and conferences meeting all over the nation. Bella perused the list: San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Dallas, Chicago, Miami, New York, Nashville, Memphis, and New Orleans. All of the descriptions sounded enticing and nerve-wracking at the same time, but one stood out to her.

_Come get a taste of what country music has to offer! There's no better place to gather inspiration and network with award-winning songwriters than right in the center of it all, Music City itself: Nashville, TN. Experienced and novice songwriters welcome! _

The online registration form went on to list a series of activities, seminars, meet-and-greets, lessons, and performances that would gently expose Bella to the world of songwriting. She was also intrigued by the idea of the south. She'd never been lower than Chicago, and that wasn't saying much! Bella had heard good things about the people, the food, and the music of Tennessee, and she decided to take her week of accumulated vacation time to ditch her boss Jessica in Seattle and hop a plane down to the hub of country music to see what this songwriting thing was all about.

Bella felt butterflies flip in her stomach as she hurried through the terminal, looking for her gate. _What was I thinking? _She chastised herself. _I'm never this brash, this spur of the moment. What if I'm terrible?! What if I have nothing to contribute? What if they realize I'm just some lowly Assistant Editor with a journal like a silly pre-teen? _But even as those disparaging thoughts crossed her mind, she forced them out. Her dad, Police Chief Charlie Swan of her hometown Forks, Washington had already talked to her about this. "Bella, every day I ask myself if I'm good enough to be the police chief of this town. Am I experienced enough, smart enough, strong enough? And the answer to those questions are sometimes yes, and sometimes no, depending who you ask and on which day. But those aren't the questions that matter. The only questions that matter are: Do I want it? Will I do my best? Am I passionate enough? And those questions can only be answered by me, and as long as the answers are always yes, I know I can do my job. The same goes for you and whatever you choose to do." Bella had teared up that day; Chief Swan was not the most eloquent or loquacious person, but he was fiercely proud of his daughter, and if that meant he had to rustle up some inspiration words, then so be it.

His impromptu speech worked, albeit a tad late, and that is exactly why Bella was rushing up to the ticketing attendant, right as he was about to close the concourse door. She handed him her boarding pass, and he gave her a look that said, _You almost missed it, girly._ Bella blushed and flashed him a thankful grin, before scurrying down the hallway toward the waiting aircraft. _Here goes nothing!_ was Bella's last thought as the heavy door swung shut behind her.

** Alright, I'll admit it: I feed off attention. What can I say, it kicks up my writing craving...so drop me a brief review, dear reader.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome back to the ride! Enjoy!**

Chapter 2

Edward tossed and turned restlessly against the window of the plane, trying to get some much-needed shuteye. _This is never going to work_, he thought with a huff. He really wished he could rest, but he was too uncomfortable and too worked up to relax. The uncomfortable part was obvious to anyone, but he was worked up for other reasons. He was heading to Nashville, Tennessee to visit his entire family, which was both exciting and daunting. Exiting because he was extremely close to them all, and daunting because his family could be a little…overbearing. All of them were settled in loving, romantic, passionate long-term relationships, and he was not. All of them lived in Nashville and saw each other regularly, and he did not. All of them balanced work and family life equally, and goodness knows he did not. Edward was the black sheep of the family, for sure.

He grew up right outside of Nashville to his parents Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Carlisle had owned his own practice for many years and was a family doctor for some of the rich and famous music stars in the city. Because of the steady income, he didn't have to work excessively, and was frequently home to help raise his two, er three, kids—more about that later. Esme was once a caterer, mostly for weddings and special events for the wealthy circles in the suburbs of Nashville, and now was a happily retiree, getting her kicks feeding her extended family, friends, and neighbors as much as possible. She was instrumental in raising her children; no nannies were needed, only Esme and Carlisle's love and affection.

Edward would also be visiting his siblings. Alice, his junior by 3 years, was a costume designer for major musical acts here in town. She would be joined by her husband Jasper, an up-and-coming producer of local rock musicians. He didn't dabble at all into the country music world; he was strictly hard rock. They had met two years ago at an industry event somewhere downtown, and were pretty inseparable ever since. Alice had gushed to the whole family immediately about how in love she was, and everyone took it with a grain of salt…Alice had been infatuated with many boys since she was barely walking, and they thought this one was just another name on the list. But when Alice and Jasper had returned from a weekend trip to New Orleans, sporting brand-new, shiny rings on their fingers, everything stopped. The family was up in arms for a few weeks, especially Esme, who didn't even get to cater he own daughter's wedding, but after being around Jasper, and seeing the love between the two of them, everyone realized what Alice had months before: they were meant to be together.

While Edward and Alice were Carlisle and Esme's only two biological children, there was one more sibling Edward was looking forward to seeing this week. Emmett was Edward's adopted brother. Emmett was four years younger, yet Emmett was about double Edward's size. Esme and Carlisle had not anticipated having any more children, but this addition happened organically. As part of Carlisle's urge to give back, he would volunteer at local pee-wee sporting events as the resident doctor. One sport he volunteered at often was for a local junior hockey league in town, treating split lips and rolled ankles mostly. One ten-year old kid he treated often for getting into scuffles on the ice was a boy named Emmett Pearson, a tough, meaty kid from the rough part of town, playing on the advice of his school counselor to get some aggression out. When Carlisle began treating Emmett's bruises and bumps from the game, he began to see older bruises and bumps that were clearly not from the hockey rink. After a few weeks, Carlisle got Emmett to open up about where they were coming from, his mom's angry, roided-out boyfriend, and that was that. When faced with the option of losing her kid or losing her boyfriend, she pretty easily handed over temporary custody to a concerned Carlisle and Esme. That temporary custody turned permanent when Emmett's mom and her boyfriend were both sent to federal prison for getting themselves somehow involved in a drug trafficking scheme that was busted some two years later. Emmett hadn't had contact with his mom since then, and grew up the last 16 years under Esme and Carlisle's love and care, with Alice and Edward as loving siblings. He was their brother, and he officially became a Cullen on his 15th birthday. Now he played hockey for the Nashville Predators in downtown Nashville, and was dating a beautiful girl named Rosalie Hale, who was the drummer for Carrie Underwood. She was a badass to say the least, and didn't take shit from anybody. Thankfully she could be pretty sweet when you got to know her…most of the time.

Edward attempted to close his eyes one last time before take-off, only briefly noticing a small blur of brown hair fly by his row and settle haphazardly into the back row before he shut them for good. _Let's hope this flight is smooth and quick_, he said to himself, as he settled back to get himself mentally ready to see his family and face their loving, but never-ending, questions about moving home, working less, and settling down. His answer was always the same: the right circumstances have never presented themselves, and nothing was going to change until they did.

**Hmmm, I wonder what circumstances might change? Read on to find out.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Readers: take your seats. Things are about to get bumpy...**

Chapter 3

Bella had just opened her book and settled into her seat at the back of the plane when the shaking and rocking started. Her stomach flipped and her breathing picked up. This is why she hated flying—the turbulence. Logically she knew that flying in turbulence was just like driving over potholes on the road, uncomfortable but not at all dangerous. Even still, she had harbored a secret fear of flying in turbulence ever since she had been a child, and it hadn't dissipated in the least. In fact, it seemed to have increased with age. She clenched her teeth at another drop in the air, and shook her head. _Get it together woman; you're 29 years old! Too old to be scared of a measly flight! _As soon as she mentally yelled at herself, the plane shook like it was coming apart at the seams, and she yelped. A few people around her looked her way, some sympathetically, and some annoyed, and in response her face burned with embarrassment. Luckily, no one was sitting in her row, and she didn't have to face the odd looks from any neighbors.

After a few more minutes of rocking and subtle shaking, Bella removed her seatbelt. Her anxiousness was urging her to get up and move, despite the fact that the seatbelt sign was still lit up. She thought the bathroom would be a good place to give herself a mini pep talk, so she stood up and made her way directly behind her to the tiny stall. A few minutes later, she was washing her hands and splashing cool water onto her face. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Though she was tired from the early morning flight, she knew she was going to be meeting many new people on this trip, so she had put in some work on her appearance this morning. Her long brown hair was slightly curled at the ends, and in honor of her ever-present nervous tick, tucked behind her ear. She had done a light sweep of makeup, and it looked like it was holding up pretty well. Her dark brown eyes looked a little panicked, but she knew that would fade once on the ground—but then she would finally be at the conference meeting tons of songwriters and professionals, so she realized the panicked expression would probably stay for a little while.

Bella straightened her suit jacket, checked that he skirt was properly pulled down, and went to turn to exit the bathroom. As she did, the plane gave a gigantic lurch, and due to the unsteady base of her heels, Bella was thrown mightily into the door frame, smacking her temple loudly and painfully on the metal frame. Bella gasped and held her hand to her head, scrunching her eyes in pain. A flight attendant happened to be right outside, and saw the whole thing. "Good Lord, darlin'! Are you alright?" the older, pretty woman exclaimed. "Let me see where you hit." Bella removed her hand from her spinning head, and looked down at her palm. It was red.

"I'm bleeding," Bella mumbled faintly, and then woozily took a step toward her seat before collapsing into the flight attendant's arms.

Edward was jolted out of a fitful sleep by the announcement over the plane's intercom system: "If you are a licensed medical professional, please come to the back of the plane. There is a medical emergency in seat 27F." Edward sat up quickly and looked around. Not a soul stood up…there was not one doctor or nurse on the plane. _Well, _he thought as he unbuckled his seat belt and climbed over his sleeping seatmates, _there was not any other doctor on the plane. _He sighed and headed toward the back of the plane. _Looks like I'm on call wherever I go. _

Edward approached the two flight attendants standing worriedly at the back of the plane. They looked up with relief as he walked toward them. "Are you a doctor?" the small redheaded stewardess asked hopefully, and smiled when he nodded.

"I'm Dr. Edward Cullen. I'm a team physician for the Seattle Seahawks. What seems to be the emergency?" Edward asked calmly. In his profession, where injuries happened fast and millions of people watched him perform, hoping that he could fix up their favorite player and send them back out onto the field, he was calm in high pressure situations.

The flight attendants moved out of the way to reveal a diminutive form slouched in the row behind them. All he could see what a slight brunette woman in a black skirt-suit, hunched over and holding a pack of ice to her head. Her hair covered her face and her thin but toned legs were curled up under her, as if she was a scared little girl. He knelt down next to her and said, "I'm Edward. Ma'am, can I take a look?"

The woman looked up at him, and Edward was caught off guard by her deep brown eyes, framed by the thickest, longest lashes he'd ever seen. She had tears in her eyes, when they met his, a drop spilled over onto her pale cheek. "I'm sorry," she began, "I shouldn't have been up when the seatbelt sign was on. I just had to go to the bathroom, and then the plane shook, and I hit my head, and there was blood, and then I think I passed out for a second, and—"

Edward put a hand on her arm to stop her torrent of words. She stopped mid-sentence, and her pink lips hung onto the last word for a second before snapping shut in embarrassment. "It's okay," he said, "it happens. Now let me take a look." He looked back to the flight attendants, both of whom were staring at him in what seemed like adoration, and when he opened his mouth to speak, they both smiled at him sweetly. "Do you have a first-aid kit?" He asked with amusement. He could tell that his impromptu patient would be fine, but it was slightly odd that the stewardesses hadn't yet retrieved the medical supplies yet. They both blushed and scrambled around each other, fumbling with the box and assorted tools, setting them on the seat next to the injured passenger.

"Thanks," he smiled sweetly up at them. "I think we're fine here, if you ladies need to be helping the passengers. I'll take it from here." And with that, he turned back to his beautiful, unknown patient, ready to get to work.

**What? He's a doctor. Yum... Drop me a review let me know how things are progressing. Feel free to include ideas and such. I can even use them for later chapters!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Let's see what's in store for our dear B + E... (no, I know what you're thinking...no Mile High Club today. You'll just have to wait for the sexiness to slowly build in this story!)**

Chapter 4

Bella was holding the ice to her temple and shrinking in embarrassment from the looks she was getting around her. It was bad enough to smack your noggin on the bathroom door, making a sound loud enough to garner the attention of the passengers in the back of the plane, and it was really bad to get faint out at the sight of a little blood, but it was mortifying to have to have the doctor called over the speakers of the plane. Immediately a dozen heads had turned in her direction, and she had shrunk into her seat, blocking out the strangers all staring at her.

She continued to keep her head down, working up the courage and the will to greet the kind doctor that was bound to show up, thank him for his time, but insist that no thank you, she was just fine. She didn't need to be coddled like a child! It was just a bump, and though it throbbed painfully, it's nothing that an ice pack and some pain killers wouldn't fix.

Bella heard the doctor approach, but sill kept her head lowered and her hair covering her face, trying to stay hidden for as long as possible. Interestingly enough, she could hear the flight attendants simper and giggle as she watched his tennis-shoed feet walk down the aisle, and she wondered what was making them all aflutter. She could sense him kneeling down beside her, and she gathered her courage, ready to deny medical attention. "I'm Edward," she heard his warm voice say, and noticed it was tinged with just the slightest drawl. "Ma'am, can I take a look?" he asked next, and she took a deep breath, looking up at the doctor in front of her, her eyes already welling with embarrassed tears as they always had since she was a child.

As soon as she locked eyes with his, she blinked in shock, and a small droplet fell onto her cheek. _Way to go, Bella, _she thought_, now he knows how embarrassed you are! _The kind doctor was smiling at her, and she felt a sudden urge to tell the handsome man what had happened, as if that would make it any less mortifying.

"I'm sorry," Bella began, "I shouldn't have been up when the seatbelt sign was on. I just had to go to the bathroom, and then the plane shook, and I hit my head, and there was blood, and then I think I passed out for a second, and—"

She stopped abruptly when she felt his warm hand rest on her arm, and she wondered if the rush to her head was from her injury or his touch. He smiled at her, and it lit up his beautiful hazel eyes. The doctor, Edward Cullen, if she remembered correctly, asked the flight attendants for a medical kit, and after they had bumbled around for a bit, clearly agape at the fine doctor's attractiveness, they gave him what he needed and he dismissed them with a kind thank you. The flight attendants hustled off to attend to their other passengers, and that's when Bella realized it was just the two of them in the back of the plane.

As Edward crouched next to the injured passenger, he slowly realized his hand was still on her arm. He removed it reluctantly and set to work gathering the tools he needed. After quickly asserting that her wound was no longer bleeding, and figuring he could get to that later, he went ahead with his vitals exam. He clicked on the pen light and went to shine into her eyes to check her response, but as he was about to begin, another passenger walked up beside him, clearly intending to get to the bathroom on the other side. Edward stood up quickly and allowed him to get through, which put him in very close proximity to the slight patient, and he looked down awkwardly at her as the man moved past him. He cleared his throat and realized that it would be easier if he could sit down to conduct his exam.

"Do you mind if I sit down?" Edward asked. "I think we'll have a bit more space that way." The patient nodded quickly and scooted backward so that her back was against the window and Edward had space to sit in the aisle seat. Their bodies were angled toward each other and their knees were a hair's breadth from touching, which he immediately noticed as he sat down.

Edward clicked on the pen light and proceeded to shine it into her eyes, watching for the correct responses and dilations. He needed to get her talking, to see if the injury had affected her cognitive functioning as well. _And maybe then you'll find out a little more about her_, he mused, but then shook the improper thought out of his mind. She was his patient, he realized, and he can't be trying to get to know his patients personally, no matter how attractive they are.

"So," he started as he moved the light around her pupils, "I know what happened, but I don't know to whom. What's your name?" He listened intently as he set down the light and took her hand, turning it over to expose the wrist. He was prepared to take her pulse, which he could feel fluttering wildly under his two fingers.

"Uh, Bella," she whispered, "Bella Swan." He nodded and counted the pulses in his head, checking his watch at the same time.

"It's nice to meet you Bella. Can you tell me what day it is, and why you're headed to Nashville?" He asked, making a mental note of her quick pulse in his head. Medical response? Nerves?

"Nice to meet you too," she chuckled quietly, clearly not loving the circumstances which brought them to meet. "It's Monday morning, and I'm headed to Nashville for a songwriter's convention."

Edward's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he forgot to let go of her wrist, which he still held in his warm hand. "You're a songwriter? That's quite the unique career. Any songs I would know?" He asked with interest. She looked like such a suit, he was surprised at her creative profession. All the songwriters he had met growing up were constantly in comfortable jeans and cowboy boots; he'd never seen one of them wearing a suit.

When he probed about her career, he cheeks immediately flamed red. "No, no songs you would know. No songs at all really." She clearly noticed his confused look, and elaborated. "I'm not technically a 'songwriter' by trade. More like an overworked Assistant Editor in Seattle who spends her free time writing down her thoughts into a silly journal. Some musician friends caught wind and started pushing me to explore it further. Thus, here I am, ready to observe and learn, but trust me, I have nothing to contribute."

He frowned at the tone she used when referring to herself, recognizing the self-critical attitude that he often heard Emmett use when he was younger when he still thought he wasn't worthy of the love and care that Esme and Carlisle gave to him. _She sure doesn't believe in herself very much, does she?_ he thought to himself.

"Well," he began as he pulled out the stethoscope that was provided in the kit. "I'm sure you'll learn a lot in Nashville. There are thousands of amazing artists that will teach you tons. It's a very special town," he said with some pride as he warmed the cold metal disk in his hands. "I'm going to place this here on your chest," he said, as he pointed to a place high on his own breast bone. She nodded nervously, and he reached toward her, slightly moving her white collared shirt aside to place the disk right inside her shirt. He was a doctor, for goodness sake, but he still felt his own pulse jump at the close contact to such a beautiful woman. _Get ahold of yourself! _he admonished himself. _Some doctor you are. _

In the meantime, Bella breathed in and out when he instructed, but her mind was far from heart rates and breathing. She was inspecting her doctor, who by this time was leaning toward her, taking her vitals. She was pretty much backed into the row, and though he was not large by any means, he was definitely big enough to block the view to the aisle in front of her. _It is just me and him back here,_ she thought. Oddly enough, she didn't feel threatened or uncomfortable in any way. His presence was comforting and warm, and his smell enveloped her in the nicest way. Every time he moved the scope and told her to breath in, she took in another deep whiff of his masculine, spicy scent.

Her eyes closed as she breathed in the last time, and Edward quickly asked her if she was feeling alright, clearly concerned that she was closing her eyes from exhaustion or pain, instead of to better relish his manly scent. She blushed, as per usual, and opened her eyes. "No, I'm fine, I promise."

Finally, Edward gently took the hand holding the ice against her temple, and moved it into her lap. "Let's take a look at this bump," he said quietly, and began inspecting the wound. It wasn't big or deep by any means. Slightly swollen, and a little pink, though more likely from the cold compress than the injury. There was a small cut where she had hit the hardest, right near her hairline, and he rifled through the first-aid kit, looking for something to mend it with. _Aha! _he thought with relief, _this will be perfect. _Edward held up a small tube toward Bella, smiling at her. "Liquid bandage," he explained. "It will close the wound cleanly and easily; you'll barely see it."

Bella smiled in relief and allowed him to clean the cut with peroxide, before dabbing on the liquid. Her hair was getting in the way a bit, and without thinking Edward tucked it behind her ear to clear the workspace. The motion was subtle, but intimate in its own way, and he immediately pulled back his hand like he'd been burned. She felt her cheeks burn, but not with embarrassment this time, and she wished that he would do it again.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a yawn, and she felt her eyelashes flutter tiredly. Edward looked at her, and then back at his seat. "I can tell you're tired, and it's actually perfectly alright for someone with a head injury to go to sleep. Why don't I go grab my book and I'll sit here, and I'll wake you periodically to make sure you're doing alright?"

Bella smiled gratefully at her savior, and she nodded for him to go retrieve his book. By the time he returned, she was curled up against the window, out like a light. He watched her for a moment, taking in her gentle beauty and peaceful expression, before looking back to his book, trying with all his might to focus on the words and not on the girl next to him.

**Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Bella awoke with a start when the plane shook strongly, knocking her elbow off the armrest and bringing her suddenly into reality. She whimpered groggily, and reached out for something stable, catching hold of a large, warm hand. She whipped her head around and realized with shock that she was inadvertently holding the hand of that handsome doctor who had healed her wounds earlier. Her eyes darted up and caught the gaze of her new row companion, Dr. Edward Cullen, who was looking back at her with a surprised, but not unpleasant, expression. He smiled slightly and gave her hand a squeeze, before releasing it back to the seat between them, allowing her to draw it back to her side without too much embarrassment. _God Bella, could you be any more desperate? _ she asked herself, and hoped that he didn't think she was too much of a freak. Yet, from the look in his eyes, she didn't get that impression from him.

Edward cleared his throat, and tried to shake off the tingle that occurred when her tiny hand unexpectedly grasped his own. He leaned toward her and mumbled lowly, "How are you feeling? Any headache, dizziness, nausea?"

Bella focused on her head, judging the pain that resonated from her temple, and responded with a slight shrug. "I feel alright. A little achy, and definitely tired. I have no idea if it's from the accident or the early flight…I'm not normally a morning person."

Edward smiled at her words, and chuckled. "Me either, but unfortunately I've had to get used to it. On practice days, I have to be up at the crack of dawn. It's pretty exhausting, but with all the craziness goes on, you get alert pretty quickly."

Bella turned toward him, curling her legs up onto the seat between them, and probed further. "What made you choose your career path? How did you know you wanted to work for the Seahawks?"

Edward thought for a moment, and responded contemplatively. "I never thought I'd be doing what I do, but I really enjoy it. Originally, I thought I'd be a surgeon, and that's what I trained for years to do. I spent many sleepless nights studying, working, and handling on-call cases, and I just wasn't happy. So when a well-connected patient of mine invited me to watch a Seahawks game from the sidelines, I began conversing with one of the team doctors. Turns out they were looking for another physician, and I jumped at the new experience. It means some travel for me, and some exciting work days, but I enjoy it so far."

Bella watched his eyes as he explained his profession, and loved the way they lit up with enthusiasm. Edward clearly enjoyed his new career, and she was happy that he was happy. She caught herself quickly. _Why does it matter if he's happy? He's a stranger, Bella! Focus on your own happiness, not that of random, handsome doctors around you. _And yet, as she thought it, she was hoping for more opportunities to see his eyes light up again.

They talked for the rest of the flight, about sports (he was not a Mariners fan, despite living in Seattle), food (they both loved Indian food and hated Chinese food), drinks (he enjoyed craft beers and she favored wine), television (he didn't watch anything but sports and the news, and she enjoyed the History Channel), and family (she was an only child to a single dad, and he was one of three in a large and loving family). Bella and Edward chatted and laughed for hours, and when they got annoyed looks from the passengers in the back of the plane, they attempted to simmer down, which immediately got them giggling again.

During heavy bouts of turbulence, Bella's hands would grasp desperately for something steady around her, and Edward was tempted to give her his hand once more as a reassuring touch, but he refrained. They'd been having a great time getting to know each other, and he didn't want to ruin it by making things weird. He had a tendency of doing stupid things in front of pretty girls…

Finally, the overhead speakers crackled to life and announced that they would be making their initial decent into the Nashville airport. The pilot mentioned that if anyone wanted to see Nashville from above, they could peer out the right side of the plane's windows. Bella immediately turned and pulled open the cover, revealing a vast expanse of houses and trees and Broadway lights.

"Wow," she breathed out quietly, and then realized that Edward was trying politely to stay in his seat, but she could see his head straining to catch a glimpse of his hometown. "Here, come close and take a look." She waved him over to her end of the row.

He moved to the middle seat and leaned over her shoulder toward the window. She could feel the warmth of his body, even though she could tell he was trying to leave a respectful distance between them. "That's Lower Broadway," he pointed toward the neon lights, which were bright even in the sunny day, "where all the honky tonks are. If you want to hear good country music, that's where you'll want to be."

Bella nodded, and mentioned that her conference and hotel was just off Broadway. "I guess I'll be down there most of the trip," she said. The plane turned away, and she pointed toward a snaking river quickly disappearing from view. "What's that?" She asked, pointing at it.

Edward leaned further toward the window, and toward Bella, and his hard chest connected with her back. His face was so near to hers that if she turned her head slightly to the left, their cheeks would touch. Her breath caught in her throat, and she could feel him freeze as well. "Uhh, ahem, that's the Cumberland River. It separates Downtown from East Nashville. You should walk across it and check out the amazing architecture across the river." At that, he inched back and slid quickly over to his seat on the aisle.

Bella glanced back shyly over his shoulder, and he was fumbling adorably with his seatbelt, refusing to look up. _Was he ashamed? Embarrassed? Pleased? _She felt a hint of blush on her own cheeks, knowing that it was not normal for strangers to touch bodies so intimately, but she also felt a smile inching upon her lips. _Whatever that was, it felt good. I wish it could happen again. _Then she shook her head, adjusted her seat belt and admonished herself. _That's not what you're here for, Bella. And I'm sure he didn't intend to work you up. He's an attractive doctor, for goodness sake. He's not trying to get romantic with the clumsy passenger in 27F who made all the commotion on the plane. _

In a few minutes, the pilot was gliding the plane down onto the tarmac of Nashville International Airport, and all the passengers proceeded to stand and stretch, pulling out their phones to call loved ones and rides. Edward pulled out his phone and fired off a text. Bella wondered if it was to his family, asking them to pick him up, or maybe to a girlfriend, letting her know he'd landed safely. Either way, she would never know. She gathered her belongings, stood up, threw the melted ice pack in the trash, and took her place in the long line of passengers waiting to disembark.

As Edward pulled down her carryon for her, waiting to get his own until they got up in the direction of his original seat, Bella asked him where she should go to catch a cab that could take her to her hotel. Edward was about to answer her when he stopped for a moment and had a thoughtful look on his face. "Well, you could take a cab of course, and feel free to say no, but my sister is picking me up in a minute, and we're heading downtown to visit my brother at practice. He plays for the Nashville Predators and the arena is right there on Broadway. Would you like to ride with us?" He stammered out the last part, as if he was nervously asking her to prom, and smiled in reaction when she nodded hesitantly.

"Uh, yes, thank you, that sounds lovely, if you're sure it's not too much trouble…" Bella responded. "Are you sure your sister won't mind?" She asked worriedly.

"Are you kidding?" Edward scoffed, "She'll be overjoyed. She loves to meet new people!"

And so together they headed through the airport, making idle chitchat about sights to see in Nashville, and their favorites to visit in their hometown of Seattle. They arrived rather quickly at the exit to the airport, where cars where pulling up and families and friends were reuniting, hugging and loading in luggage. Edward scanned the line of cars for his sister's red Prius, and quickly spotted her a little ahead. She was busily chatting on the phone, maybe to a client or to her husband Jasper, and didn't see him yet. They approached the car and he knocked on the window, laughing as he elicited the surprised yelp that came from his tiny sister. She playfully glared at him, and then her eyes grew into saucers when she spotted Bella standing timidly behind him. "Gotta go!" she said to the phone, and hung up without waiting for a reply.

"Oh my God!" Alice exclaimed, bouncing from the car and around to the sidewalk where Edward and Bella stood. "Edward, oh my God! The day has finally come! Hallelujah!" She hugged her brother and then looked at Bella, grabbing her arms and holding her back for inspection. "And she's so beautiful! Good catch, brother!" She unexpectedly embraced Bella, who stood there frozen with a shocked look on her face, while Edward's contorted into the strangest configuration of humor, embarrassment, and exasperation.

"I'm Alice," Alice exclaimed, and then paused, clearly waiting for Bella to introduce herself.

"I'm, uh, Bella," Bella responded shakily, starting to wonder what was wrong with this family.

"Oh you two," Alice squealed adoringly, and before anyone could say a word, popped the trunk, threw their bags into it, and ushered them into the car, giving Bella shot gun, of course. "We're going to have so much fun this week! Wait til Mom finds out you've finally brought home a girlfriend!" And with that, Bella and Edward's eyes immediately met in the rearview mirror, both of them in shock. _Now which one of them was going to break the bad news to Alice? _


	6. Chapter 6

**Welcome back! Enjoy, dear readers!**

Chapter 6

Alice hummed along to the music, thumping her steering wheel happily to the beat. Bella inwardly cringed, not looking forward to breaking the sweet girl's heart by telling her that no, she was not Edward's girlfriend, and she would not be spending the week with them. Bella glanced once more into the rearview mirror, and caught Edward's eyes, raising her eyebrows as if to say, _Well? Have at it, cowboy. _He sighed, obviously feeling bad about the mix-up, but not having the heart to break it to his perky sister. Finally he set his jaw and took a deep breath. "Alice, I think there was a miscommunication earlier…Bella isn't my girlfriend. Bella isn't my anything." As soon as he said it, he saw Bella's slight wince, and realized how terrible that sounded.

"Wait, what?" Alice slammed on the breaks at a red light and swiveled her head to look at a morose Bella and a frantic Edward.

"What I mean is, Bella is a stranger. I mean, a patient. I mean, a new friend. Arghhh!" He just kept seeing Alice's furrowed brow and Bella shrink further into the seat. This was not going the way he'd planned. Edward took a deep, calming breath. "Bella was a passenger on my flight, and she hit her head during a bout of turbulence. I helped her, as a doctor, and then we got to talking. She's headed downtown, like we are, and so I offered her a ride. She's attending a songwriter's conference off Broadway." He finished his explanation and sat back warily against the seat, looking at Bella for approval, and then to Alice, whose face had fallen.

"You mean…you're not together?" Alice asked Bella, who shook her head timidly. "But, you're so pretty, and you two looked so good together." Alice stuck out her bottom lip, and then focused back on the road. "Well, no matter," she stated matter-of-factly. "You two said you talked the whole plane ride over, and that's a good long while. I'm sure you're a lovely girl then, Bella. Do you have a boyfriend back in Seattle?" Bella laughed and answered in the negative. Alice beamed. "Great, I hoped as much. When you're not at your conference, we'll still have a grand old time. You may not be his girlfriend now, but there is still time." She winked at Bella, whose cheeks flamed bright red, but not as red as Edward who smacked his forehead in embarrassed in the back seat, and mouthed apologies at Bella in the mirror.

Alice peppered Bella with questions all the way to downtown, and the two got along swimmingly. Bella enjoyed Alice's outgoing personality, and Alice adored Bella's humble, sweet demeanor. Edward sat in the back, eyes gawking and a goofy half-smile on his face, unable to believe how strangely this trip had already started. He found himself feeling glad at how well his sister and new…friend got along, although for the life of him didn't know why it was important that they did. _She's not your girlfriend, you dolt! She's practically a stranger, who is probably regretting every meeting you and your psycho sister._ But the more and more he listened, the more and more he realized how well Bella fit in, and found himself wondering about…possibilities.

Edward was shaken out of his musings when they entered downtown, with neon lights and country music blaring from every honky tonk down the row. Bella's eyes lit up in childlike joy, and she looked back at Edward with a wide smile. "It's amazing!" she said happily. "I can't believe you guys grew up here! I'm so jealous. Forks is the smallest town ever, and nothing at all like this."

Bella directed Alice to her hotel, which was a street over from all the activity and buzz of lower Broadway. Alice pulled up into a parking spot and turned toward Bella, "So what does the day have in store for you?"

Bella pulled out her conference itinerary and noticed that there was an introductory luncheon, and couple welcome speakers and mixers that ended in the early evening, and then nothing really for the rest of the night. She relayed the information to Alice, while Edward pretended not to be as interested as he was, and mused, "I guess day one is just kind of an easy intro. Not much going on, and it ends pretty early. I think tomorrow and Wednesday have the most going on, and then Thursday is just a morning thing. It's a pretty short conference, but I took the whole week to have myself a bit of a vacation as well."

Alice beamed, and chirped merrily, "Great! It looks like you'll have plenty of free time! Isn't that wonderful, Edward?"

Edward's eyes flashed to Bella's, _was that hope he saw for a brief moment?_ and then back to Alice. "Erm, yep. I mean, it's great for Bella. She'll have lots of time to enjoy the city…" He glanced at Bella to gauge her reaction. _Man, have I forgotten how to function? Why can't I seem to know what to say? _

Alice rolled her eyes at her bumbling brother. "He's such a square," she whispered conspiratorially at Bella, and they giggled together. Edward narrowed his eyes, but secretly enjoyed seeing Bella laugh. "Well, Bella," she said in a singsong voice, "I don't know if you realized this, but ole Eddie and I grew up here, and there would be no one better to give you a local look at all Nashville has to offer. What do you say, girl? Would you like a tour guide this week?"

Bella glanced back at Edward, unsure whether the attractive doctor was on board with his sister's clear attempt at matchmaking, but he looked back at her with a blank face, obviously trying to play it cool and hide his hand. _What the hell, _Bella thought with unusual gusto_, it's not every day that a sweet girl like Alice comes along and offers her friendship. Even if Edward thinks I'm intruding, he doesn't have to join. Alice and I will have fun this week, and at least I will have made a friend! _She smiled at Alice, and went all in. "I'd love to have you show me the sights! Let's do it."

Alice squealed and clapped her hands, while Edward felt excitement build within him. _I guess I'll be seeing more of Bella. Now I just have to figure out how to be normal around her. Is she my patient? My sister's new friend? Or something else? _

Alice got Bella's number. _Wait, wasn't that supposed to be my job? _Edward thought as he removed Bella's luggage from the trunk. She came around to the back of the car to grab it, and he walked her to the door of the hotel. "So, I guess we'll see each other later?" He asked, unsure of what else to say.

Bella smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear, looking at her shoes. She felt a hand reach out and touch her chin, turning her face to the left a bit. "It's looking better," she heard Edward say about her cut. She barely heard him though, because her focus was solely on the feel of his hand on her face. "Just ice it and take some pain killers, and you should be good as new." She could have sworn she felt his thumb graze across her jaw, but as soon as she felt it, his hand was gone and burying themselves in his pockets.

"Thank you, for everything, Edward. And I hope it's not an intrusion, with me accepting your sister's offer." She glanced through her eyelids up at him, and was once again taken aback by his handsome features. This time, they focused on his lips, which he wet reflexively at her gaze.

"It was my pleasure, really," Edward responded. "And I'm happy that Alice is such a busy-body. It should be a good time. I haven't had much of an opportunity to play host to any tourists in recent years, and I think it could be fun to show you around. I'm sure Alice will be calling you later to arrange all the plans." They both laughed at his sister's energetic style. "Have a good time today at your conference. I guess…I'll see you later." His tone turned up at the end, halfway in question and half in hope, and she felt her stomach flip like she was back in high school.

"Yep, see you…later." Bella responded, and before she could say any more, Alice honked and waved at Edward spastically, indicating that she had already grown bored. Bella laughed and turned for the door, which Edward held open for her. She waved, and before he knew it, had turned the corner into the lobby. He stood there for a minute, holding the door and watching the spot where she had just been, marveling at the retreating figure he'd just watched. _Damn, _he thought with a sigh, and then rushed back to hop into the car with his impatient sister.

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	7. Chapter 7

**Welcome back! Enjoy, dear readers!**

Chapter 7

Alice buzzed with excitement the whole afternoon, and Edward couldn't help but share in her happiness. His thoughts kept returning back to the brunette girl who was quickly inserting herself into his vacation.

After dropping Bella off, they headed up the block to the Bridgestone Arena, home of the Nashville Predators. Their family passes got them in through security, and they grabbed some seats right by the glass to watch their brother Emmett practice. He whizzed by on the ice, and when he saw them he flashed them a gigantic, toothy smile. _He is such a goofball,_ Edward thought, _and man have I missed him. _They were already finishing up practice, and afterward the team went back to shower and change. Edward and Alice chatted with some other practice spectators, as well as some of the cheerleaders who were there to begin practice. A few of them couldn't stop gushing over Edward, and he felt his sister's glare from his side, warning the perky girls off. He couldn't help but laugh to himself. _I guess she's already loyal to Bella, _he realized.

All of a sudden, he was plowed into from behind and lifted off the ground, before being set back down and put into a good-natured headlock. He spun deftly out and turned around to catch his rascal of a brother in a giant bear hug, slapping each other on the back vigorously as most men do. Alice beamed happily from the side, seeing her two brothers finally reunited.

"How is it, man?" Emmett Cullen boomed, as he put his arm around Edward and they walked toward Alice's car.

"Eh, pretty good. Work is busy, and I'm enjoying it. But man, being back here sure is a trip. Can't say I didn't miss it." Emmett beamed his usual smile, and they all piled into the car.

Alice nudged Emmett's arm in the front seat and said, "You should ask him how his flight was," with a not-so-subtle jiggle of her eyebrows.

Emmett looked confused, probably wondering why a flight was so important, but acquiesced. "Erm, how was your flight?"

Edward sighed in exasperation at his meddling sister, and together they launched into the story about Bella, the turbulence, the talking, the confusion with Alice, and finally the plan to show her around the Music City. Emmett burst into laughter at Alice's assumption that Bella was Edward's girlfriend, and when Edward was done telling the story, he asked the question he'd been wondering from minute one. "So, is she hot?!"

Edward rolled his eyes, but Alice vigorously nodded her head about and down. "Hell yes!" she exclaimed. "Such a babe! Right Edward?"

Edward had no choice but to answer, and he was truthful. "She is very pretty." He said respectfully.

Alice now was the one to roll her eyes, and she jumped in, completely ignoring Edward. "She's petite, but not as small as me of course." They all laughed. No one was as small as Alice. "She's got long brown hair and dark brown eyes, beautiful skin, great legs. Dresses kind of stiff, but we'll work on that. All in all, just Edward's type!"

Emmett whooped with joy, and patted Edward on the knee. His blue eyes sparkled with mischief. "Way to go, bro. Man, apparently all you need is an M.D. after your name and you just get to rack up all the chicks!" He said it with a whine, as if he had trouble with the ladies. Emmett had no trouble with ladies of any kind. He was massive, at least 6'3" and build like a mac-truck, but had dimples and curls that kept him looking boyish and sweet. It didn't matter either way though, because he was desperately in love with Rosalie, and she with him. All the admirers didn't matter.

"Where is dear Rosalie?" Edward asked with a smirk. It was funny, because Rosalie, though fiercely loyal and passionate, could never be described as "dear."

"She's at band practice right now. Carrie has a benefit concert this weekend here in town, and they're trying out some new material. Fisher was going on and on about the show, trying to get all the team to attend the missus's concert." He rolled his eyes like his teammate Mike Fisher was asking his teammates to go to a kid's talent show instead of his superstar wife Carrie Underwood's gigantic, star-studded concert.

"We should all go!" Alice piped up from the driver's seat. "I bet Bella would love to see the concert, and maybe we could introduce her to Carrie! You know, Bella's a songwriter," Alice said to Emmett, who was already nodding in agreement.

"It's on Saturday night, at the Ryman. I'll ask Rosalie to get the whole family tickets, plus Bella. It'll be great." Alice whooped with excitement, and Edward thought of Bella, now at her conference, and wondered if she knew what she had gotten herself into.

* * *

><p>Bella, meanwhile, was sitting through guest speakers, all songwriters and producers who were welcoming the large group of current and aspiring songwriters to Nashville. She was trying hard to focus on the renowned artists in front of her, but couldn't help let her thoughts wander to the handsome doctor who'd she'd be seeing this week. <em>Maybe even tonight? <em>She thought hopefully.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated and she subtly checked it. The text was from Alice, inviting her to attend Emmett's hockey game against the Rangers that night at 7 o'clock, before heading out with them downtown. Bella's stomach flipped, and she hid a smile.

_I'd love to join! _She texted back, and then refocused on the speakers, ready to absorb all she could for the next few hours.

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	8. Chapter 8

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Chapter 8

Bella stepped out of the steaming shower, wrapping a fluffy towel around her dripping body. It was about an hour and a half until she was supposed to meet Edward and Alice and whoever else was joining them down the block at the Bridgestone Arena. She wandered through her hotel room, absent-mindedly towel-drying her hair and looking through the clothes she'd hung in the closet. _Ugh, I sure don't know how to pack. What do you wear to a hockey game? _

Bella had already learned quickly that things are a lot more casual down in the South than they were where she worked in downtown Seattle. In the high rises that she worked in and around, everyone dressed in formal business attire, and that's what she'd prepared for. "What an idiot," she mumbled to herself. Though she had looked nice and professional, everyone else around her looked cool and trendy, mostly donning cowboy boots and various styles of denim and flannel, or cute little sundresses. It seemed to be the dress code here on lower Broadway.

_Well, I'll have to make due this week…_she mused to herself, before ignoring the clothes for a moment and going to put on her makeup and dry her hair. She was just getting through setting her light waves, makeup already set, when she heard a knock at her door. Her eyebrows furrowed, not sure who could possibly be at her door. _No one even knows which room I'm in!_ She pulled her towel tightly around her body, and looked through the peephole. She could barely see the top of a tiny little person with a cute brunette pixie cut, and it quickly dawned on her who was at the door.

"Alice?" Bella said as she opened the door, surprise evident in her voice. Bella glanced frantically down the hallway on either side, terrified Edward would be there to see her in her towel, but thankfully it was just Alice and a giant rack of hanging garment bags. "What is all that?" Bella exclaimed, as Alice pushed her way into the hotel room? "And, um, please come in."

Alice turned on Bella. "Phew, you're mostly ready. What a relief. Thank goodness you're a pro with your hair and makeup already. At least we just have to focus on wardrobe!" And she immediately unzipped the bags, revealing outfit after outfit.

Bella stood awkwardly in the middle of her room, while Alice buzzed around like she owned the place. She wasn't offended, just mostly confused. "Alice, wait a moment!" Alice froze and looked at Bella with her hands on her hips, as if she didn't have a moment to spare.

"What's the holdup, girlfriend?!" Alice asked with a huff. "I'm here to play dress up, because I gathered—" as she said this, she rummaged through Bella's closet of serious business attire and sensible footwear, "like I said, I gathered, correctly I might add, that you don't have a stich of clothing that's right for tonight! And I don't know if Edward mentioned, but I run costume, or wardrobe, as you might say, for major musical acts here in town. I have my studio just up the road near Music Row, and it's full of clothes that are better fit for Lower Broadway, not Wall Street!" She nudged Bella good naturedly, and Bella couldn't figure out whether to defend her fashion choices or just go with it. She decided to be thankful, and embraced Alice with gusto.

"Thank you, Alice. You didn't have to do this, but thank you! Are you sure it's okay for me to wear these clothes? They all look so…cool." Bella wasn't used to wearing trendy clothes. Angela was a great friend but not much advice in the fashion department, and Chief Charlie Swan never took his daughter shopping growing up, so she was pretty much on her own, and not doing so hot, apparently.

"Oh yeah, as long as you don't mind that some of them have been worn by Carrie or Miranda or Taylor!" Alice threw around the names like they weren't a big deal, but Bella's eyes widened in shock. "Don't worry," Alice said, misinterpreting Bella's expression, "they've been dry cleaned!"

She proceeded to whip Bella's towel off, and Bella spun around once, trying desperately to protect her modesty. "Oh come on Bella, I've seen every major country star's goodies south of the Mason Dixon line. Nothing surprises me anymore! Now go get on your skivvies and we'll pick you out something to wear, sister!" And with that, she went nonchalantly back to rummaging through the racks.

Once Bella was dressed in a bra and underwear, which was much less than she preferred, mind you, Alice threw a couple of pieces at her. "What do you think?" She asked with a grin. Bella held up the tiny, bejeweled denim skirt, _more like a belt_, Bella thought.

"Um, I think it's a little short…Maybe something else?" Alice rolled her eyes at Bella's modesty, but pulled out a yellow sundress, structured in a sweetheart neckline at the top and flaring out in a vintage feel at the waste. It was sweet, but with the addition of the spaghetti straps and the tight bodice, Bella could tell her figure would be on display in a hopefully tasteful way.

"It's beautiful," Bella said, fingering the soft cotton material. Alice smiled and handed it to Bella. "Taylor wore it to a charity event the other day. She's a bit smaller than you up top, but that should work out in your favor, or should I say, Edward's favor." She wiggled her eyebrows at Bella, and Bella immediately blushed in response, before unzipping the dress and pulling it on over her body. She turned and Alice zipped it up for her. Bella felt it wrapped tightly around her upper body, but not so tightly that it was uncomfortable. She immediately looked down and gasped, before spinning to look at Alice.

"Alice, my…boobs!" She whispered the last word, as if it was a bad word. Alice smiled widely, and winked at her.

"You're right, they look great!" _Well, she completely missed what I was trying to say_, Bella realized, and then decided to go all in. _New city, new Bella!_ she thought with nervous excitement. She moved to look in the mirror, and definitely saw a new Bella. The girl looking back at her was a stranger. Long legs that ended in a pretty, yellow skirt a few inches above the knees, a fit, thin torso topped off with a, ermm, fuller bust than normal, and flowing brown hair curling lightly across her shoulders and down toward her torso. _Damn, I look pretty good. _

Alice pulled out a pair of beautiful cowboy boots, and handed them to Bella. "Don't worry, they'll definitely be your size. I know these things." Bella pulled them on and, of course, Alice was right again. They fit like a glove and complemented her outfit perfectly. She felt like she should be walking onstage to perform a country concert right now.

Alice bumped Bella's hip and wiggled herself into the mirror's reflection. For the first time, Bella took in Alice's outfit. She was wearing tight white jeans, a corseted dark denim peplum tube top, and red cowboy boots. It was the perfect outfit to get wild downtown in, from what Bella had observed.

Alice checked her phone and urged Bella to grab her purse. "We gotta hustle, cowgirl! Giddyup!" And with that they were off, waltzing through the hallways, down the elevator, and out into the buzzing evening air. Being early fall, the air was mellow with a cool breeze, and it felt lovely on Bella's skin. They walked the block to the arena, winding through the sidewalks filled with tourists, locals, and Preds fans, before arriving at the doors to the arena. Bella had no idea where to begin looking for Edward and whomever else was joining them, so she let Alice drag her along.

"Aha!" Alice exclaimed, and then jumped up and down, wildly waving her arms to get someone's attention. Bella took a deep, steadying breath, and turned in the direction Alice was waving. It was a good thing she'd just taken a breath, because she lost the ability to breathe any more. Edward was walking toward them with a bright, beautiful smile on his face. He had changed into a pair of dark blue jeans and a pair of cool, trendy suede boots. He had a subtle plaid button up on, tucked neatly into his jeans, and rolled up to expose his strong forearms. He looked casual, but put together, but most of all he looked hot. Bella licked her lips as he approached, and saw his eyes follow the motion.

Alice hugged her brother, and then bounced off to greet the group of people approaching behind him. Edward took the brief moment alone with Bella to smile down at her, wanting terribly to grab her hand and spin her around. Instead, he grabbed her hand and pulled it to his lips in an uncharacteristic moment of smooth chivalry, and was glad to see Bella blush and smile prettily. "Good evening, Bella. I heard that Alice had gotten her hands on you; I hope that's okay. You look lovely, by the way."

Bella nodded emphatically, and expressed how thankful she was for Alice's help. "Your sister is a Godsend," she explained. "I'm really excited for tonight!"

Edward placed a hand on the small of her back and turned her to the approaching crowd of people. "I'm glad, because you're about to meet some folk even _more_ excited for tonight." Bella's eyebrows raised, and realized she was about to meet Edward's entire family. _Gulp. _

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	9. Chapter 9

**Welcome back! Enjoy, dear readers!**

Chapter 9

Edward sat down in his seat, just behind the home team's bench, and was happy to have a moment to think. Bella and Alice were in the bathroom, and the rest of his family was getting food and drinks. He had just introduced Bella to everyone, everyone being Jasper, Rosalie, Carlisle, and Esme. Bella handled it like a pro, greeting them all with a firm handshake and a warm smile. She completely won over Carlisle and Esme with her effusive praise of Alice's style help and Edward's medical aid, so that was a win. Jasper liked everybody, and was especially interested in Bella's newfound interest in songwriting, asking her about who she heard speak at the conference that day; he knew a few of the artists and was able to give her some tips on what to talk with them the next time she saw them. Rosalie…well, Rosalie was a hard nut to crack. She was polite to Bella, but as she was with most new people, standoffish. Edward crossed his fingers that Bella didn't take it as hostility, and that Rosalie stayed on her best behavior. She didn't have many girlfriends, and sometimes she forgot how to act like a lady.

Jasper, Esme, Carlie, and Rosalie all returned, arms laden with beers and nachos and hotdogs, enough to go around. They were sitting in two rows, three in the front row and the four seats behind them. Edward sat in the front, on the edge of their group, and left the two seats open next to him for Bella and Alice. Rosalie sat down behind Edward, and Carlisle, Esme, and Jasper followed in after her.

But before he knew it, graceful little Esme, prim and proper as could be, climbed on down to the row below and plopped herself one seat away from Edward. She winked at his surprised face, and said, "This way lovely Bella can sit right between us. I can't wait to get to know her better!" Edward inwardly groaned, and hoped his mom wouldn't badger poor Bella the whole game. They were all treating this like he had brought Bella home on purpose, forgetting that he had just met her as well!

Bella and Alice suddenly appeared at his side, and he hopped up to greet them. Bella appeared frozen, unsure which of the empty seats was meant for her. Edward gallantly waived his arm at the seat next to him, and she smiled subtly, before squeezing past him to get to her seat. In the close quarters, he could smell the fragrance of her hair and felt the brush of her body against his own, and he was startled by the strong response he had. He took a deep, cleansing breath and sat down again, handing Bella a beer.

"Thanks!" she said appreciatively, and took a small sip. He smiled. _Hey, she's down with drinking a brew and taking in a contact sporting event. She's racking up the cool points right now._

Rosalie bent down between them and thrust a loaded hotdog at Bella. "Carlisle got you a hotdog, Bella. I tried to tell him you looked more like a salad girl, but he didn't listen," Rosalie finished with a shrug, sharp eyes on Bella to gauge her reaction. Edward's eyes closed briefly, mentally cursing Rosalie's frequently bratty behavior, and opened them to see Bella grinning up at the tall, statuesque blonde.

"This is perfect, thanks! I grew up on dogs and stadium food following the Mariners with my dad, so I wouldn't have it any other way." And with that, she took a huge bite of the hotdog, washed it down with a swig of beer, and beamed back at a surprised Rosalie. Edward chuckled lightly. _Didn't really see that coming_, he thought happily.

Suddenly, a buzzer sounded and the game began. Edward spent the next 60 minutes of play alternating between watching the game and watching Bella watch the game. Her eyes were wide and darting around the ice with every play, and he loved seeing her reactions to the close calls, aggressive fights, and goals. He especially loved it when players would slam up against the glass in front of them. At first she was startled, and he saw her tightly grip the arm rest between them, but once she got used to it, she got into it, yelling and cheering whenever things went in the Pred's favor.

Besides that, she and Esme would constantly be leaning toward each other, whispering and pointing at various things. I could tell Esme was pointing out favorite players, exciting plays, and explaining things about Emmett, the only family member Bella had yet to meet. Periodically Alice would lean forward between the two, and Edward would hear peals of giggles erupt from the three ladies. He smiled and settled back into his seat, truly relaxed and happy for one of the first times in a while.

* * *

><p>Bella was shocked when the game finally ended. It had flown by so fast! The Predators had won 2-1, and the excitement was palpable in the air as the group headed down toward the player locker room. There was a hallway that friends and family often waited for the players in, and that's what they all did now, discussing highlights from the game and plans for after Emmett emerged.<p>

"…And then we're going to grab a drink at Honky Tonk Central, I think. Or maybe Tootsies. What do you think Jax?" Alice was talking a mile a minute, and Bella was doing her best to keep up. All of these places sounded exactly the same to her, so she had no opinion, but was happy to go along for the ride. She glanced at Edward, who was talking jovially with Esme and Carlisle, probably catching them up on life in Seattle.

Rosalie was standing with another girlfriend of hockey player, and they were talking good naturedly. _Huh, so she has friends? That's a good sign, I suppose, _Bella mused. She could tell that the beautiful blonde was not exactly Suzie Sweetheart, but after the hotdog encounter, the blonde had pretty much left her alone. _Maybe she'll warm to me_, Bella hoped, and then shook her head,_ or maybe she won't. Who cares? I'll probably never see her again. I'll just try my best to have a good time, which is pretty dang easy in this town._

Edward walked over about then and joined the conversation about plans. "What would you like to do, Bella?" he asked politely.

She shrugged with a smile. "You all have been so kind showing me around tonight, I'm up for anything. I'm having a great time, either way."

Edward smiled back at her, and Alice and Jasper watched the two of them for a moment, just smiling at each other like fools, before the doors to the locker room opened and a bunch of large men came spilling out, finding their respective loved ones.

A particularly large, but still boyishly handsome man came up to their group and scooped Rosalie up into a dramatic and passionate kiss, so much so that Bella blushed just watching them. He let Rosalie go, bee-lined straight through the group right to Bella, and grabbed her hand in a giant handshake, pumping it up in down like he was trying to get water to spout from her!

Bella smiled and introduced herself. "Oh, I heard all about you, Bells! I think we're going to get along perfectly, as long as old Eddie doesn't ruin our fun. You know those doctor types can be pretty stuffy," he said in a fake whisper, intending for both Carlisle and Edward to hear.

"Hey!" they both exclaimed.

Carlisle swatted at his son's head. "I'll remind you I can get rowdy like the young folk in a hot second." Bella burst into laughter, imagining the attractive older doctor downing shots and getting wild at a club. He winked at Bella, and motioned them all to follow him.

"Let's get started, in fact. Edward, you ready to show this buffoon what fun looks like?" And with that, he put an arm around an embarrassed Edward and led the laughing group out toward the neon lights of Broadway.

As soon as they stepped onto the streets, Bella instantly became overwhelmed. There were people everywhere, going every which way. Street performers sang out tunes and panhandled for tips. Imitation Elvis took pictures on the corner. Tourists in bedazzled cowboy hats and boots bumped through the crowds, tipsy on beer and whiskey. Locals dove into their favorite haunts, ready to listen to the acts crowding the stage at each bar. And the music, wow, the music. It was coming from every open bar and restaurant front down the entire three-block street, and continuing down the side streets. It was like one hundred radios were all blaring a different country music station at the same time.

Edward glanced back at her and noticed Bella was falling behind, struggling to push through the pulsing crowds. He reached back and offered his hand, which she gratefully accepted, and he led her through the crowded streets, following behind the rest of his family.

Bella looked down at their connected hands and wondered at how great it felt. His grip was firm and confident, and she felt incredibly safe in it. She smiled widely at the women who were blatantly checking him out, before looking back and seeing Bella holding his hand. Their disappointment was evident, and Bella, who was never a territorial person, and had no right to be so now, felt an unexpected shiver of possessive pride. She gripped his hand tighter, and he looked back with a surprised smile, but led on until they arrived outside a giant, three-story building boasting live music acts from each floor. "Welcome to Honky Tonk Central," he leaned down and yelled to her over the noise on the street. "We're about to get you a Bushwacker!"

**Peace, Love, and Review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Welcome back! Enjoy, dear readers!** **Things are about to get a little steamy...**

Chapter 10

The large group entered the honky tonk, and Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie headed straight to the bar while Bella, Edward, Carlisle, Esme, and Emmett gathered by the stage, carving out some space for their group. Bella was grinning from ear to ear, enjoying the pulsing beat and rasping voices coming from the stage. The trio returned from the bar, carting buckets of long necks for the entire group. Emmett, who didn't normally drink in order to keep his athletic form, picked up a bottle and tipped it at Bella, giving her a wink. "Special occasion," he mentioned, and took a giant swig.

Bella tipped her own at him, and then clinked glasses with those around her, including Edward. He stood next to her, and she watched him take a sip from his beer. His Adam's apple bobbed enticingly, and she noticed him lick errant drops of the beer from his bottom lip, which made her thirstier than ever. She took another swig of her beer, and before she knew it, the band was taking a break and her bottle was empty. She looked down at her empty drink in surprise, and then was even more surprised when Esme replaced her empty drink with a large, frosty milkshake.

"What is this?" she asked in amazement, not realizing that this place would be serving shakes like a 50's diner.

"It's called a Bushwacker," Alice yelled over the country music playing from the speakers. "It's like magic. You can drink and drink and drink them and you go from nothing to whooppp…" she trailed off, swirling her finger in the air loopily, indicating that these beverages were much stronger than they appeared. Bella took a tentative sip, and hummed in quiet approval. _Now this is my kind of drink_, she thought happily, and slurped away at the chocolaty, rum-filled concoction.

Edward placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned down toward her. "Be careful," he warned good naturedly, "those can knock you on your ass. I've been there before." She raised her eyebrow saucily at him, and he realized how that sounded. "I didn't mean I've been on _your _ass…uh, I mean I'd been on _my_ ass before…because of the drink. It's strong. I'll shut up now." Edward released her shoulder and looked straight ahead, as if the empty stage was suddenly intriguing.

Bella giggled and returned to sipping her frosty treat, and the rest of the family followed suit, drinking and laughing and dancing around to the music. Finally, a new band came on stage, and Bella could tell this one was popular. The crowd that had gathered in the bar surged toward the stage, pushing those at the front like herself and Edward further forward, and as a result, much closer together. In the rearranging, Edward got himself pushed behind Bella, and that's where he got stuck, crowded by people on every side.

As the band started off with a rocking first track, Bella looked around and noticed their group had splintered off into duos. Rosalie and Emmett were off to the side of the stage in the shadows, groping and making out like a couple of teenagers. Bella nudged Edward and they giggled like school children at the couple's antics. Alice and Jasper had run into work friends of his, and they were settled on barstools, shooting back shots and sharing industry stories. Carlisle and Esme had grown tired of the crowd, and found a table in the less-crowded back of the bar; they whispered to each other, lost in their own world. Bella sighed and subtly pointed out Edward's parents to him. He smiled at the sight of them, and then down at her.

At that moment, the band transitioned to a more melodic slow song, with sultry, sexy lyrics. In the humidity of the crowded bar, Bella had long ago pulled her hair to the side to cool her back and neck, and was now noticing the effects. As Bella and Edward swayed with the movement of the crowd, she could feel the soft material of his shirt whisper against the exposed skin of her upper back. It was mesmerizing, and—completely uncharacteristic of her—Bella yearned for more. _Man, those Bushwackers must be stronger than I thought_, she contemplated, as she set down her now-empty glass on a nearby table.

Edward, meanwhile, couldn't stop staring down at the skin exposed in front of him. Bella was close enough that he pretty much had a bird's-eye view, and he was struck by the subtle sexiness of her exposed left shoulder. _What an odd thing to find irresistible,_ he realized with a chuckle. Most guys needed blatant vulgarity to get turned on nowadays, and he just needed to see a couple of inches of collarbone and he was on fire. It looked so soft, so warm. He could see a shimmer of moisture upon her skin and he knew she was warm in the moist club air.

He took his cold beer bottle, covered in cool droplets of condensation, and without thinking of what he was doing, brushed it lightly across the back of Bella's exposed shoulder. She gasped in shock at the cold moisture, and then gasped in added surprise when he trailed his hand over the dewy moisture, spreading the cool water up her shoulder and toward her hairline. She felt her head tip instinctively to the right, exposing more of her neck to him. He let that movement encourage him, running the side of his beer bottle along the back of her neck, and following it with his damp fingers. Bella felt a residual drop of condensation run from her neck down her collarbone, and disappear into the neckline of her dress. She glanced up and saw Edward's eyes follow the descending drop into the front of her dress. She breathed deep, and the movement of her chest made Edward's eyes widen. Bella giggled without thinking; he was like a little boy entranced by the ice cream truck…he didn't even realize he was staring.

At her giggle, Edward's eyes snapped up to meet hers, and his face flamed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Bella. I, uh, I got distracted. By the band…I was distracted by the band." Bella smiled, knowing that he'd barely noticed the band for the last 20 minutes, but she allowed the white lie. She couldn't deny that those last few minutes were some of the most intimate of her life, even though that might seem crazy.

She turned her body around so that she was facing him, and placed her hand on his exposed forearm in reassurance. "It's okay, Edward. I'm feeling…different too. Maybe it's the drinks," she said hopefully, though she knew for a fact that it wasn't the drinks making her feel this way.

"You're right. I should probably get you back to your hotel. You mentioned you had an early morning tomorrow, right?" Even as Edward said the words, he wished he hadn't. Not only did he not want her to go, by the look on her face, she didn't either. But manners prevailed, and she smiled firmly up at him, nodding her head curtly.

"Yep, early morning. Big day. Bella tired," she said in a silly voice, feigning a yawn to drive the point home.

Edward passed them by the bar on the way out the door so she could say goodbye to Alice. "We'll see you again, right? Tomorrow, or Wednesday even?!" Alice demanded of Bella, and Edward held her breath to hear Bella's answer.

"Sure, Alice. Why don't you call me tomorrow around lunchtime and we'll figure something out?" Edward hoped Bella was serious, because he'd really like to use her hanging out with Alice as an excuse to see her again. _What, are you too chicken to arrange it yourself? Yep, yep I am,_ he answered his own question.

Bella and Edward waived goodbye to an oblivious Emmett and Rosalie and to a smiling Carlisle and Esme before heading out onto Broadway. Bella wasn't sure what was going to happen next, especially in light of his embarrassment of his actions earlier, but his hand immediately gravitated back to grasp hers, leading her in the direction of her hotel. She wondered for a brief moment if it was chivalry or attraction that caused him to extend his hand to her, but she decided not to care at the moment.

Suddenly, they were at the hotel doors. Bella and Edward stood in the silent shadow of the doorway, both afraid to make a move and upset the balance of the moment. Finally, Edward gently grabbed her hand, turned it over in his palm, and placed the most delicate, endearing of kisses upon the inside of her wrist. Bella's stomach positively flipped completely over, and her breath inhaled in a nearly-silent gasp. Edward smiled at her and opened the door for her, wordlessly ushering her inside. And with one last, silent look at her, Edward dipped his head in goodbye and left into the night. It was all Bella could do not to float up to her room in a complete daze. When she closed her eyes, all she did was pray for morning to come quickly, when she could see another heavenly day unfold.

**More scenes like that? How do you want to see it go next? Peace, Love, and Review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Welcome back! Enjoy, dear readers!**

Chapter 11

Bella awoke with one of those stomach-flipping, smile-inducing, happy feelings. She bounced around the hotel room, got ready for the day, and was one of the first people to arrive at the first session of her conference. She was nibbling on a muffin and replaying the events of last night when she felt a chair pull out next to her, and someone join her table. She glanced over, and was looking straight at a guy looking straight back at her. Bella quickly took in his long blonde hair, tied back low, his deep v-neck tshirt revealing various chains around his neck, and his purposely ripped jeans. He smiled, but it didn't necessarily feel like a friendly smile so much as a predatory grin, and reached out a hand.

"I'm James," he said smoothly as he shook Bella's tentatively offered hand. "And you must be…happy, from what I gathered. I couldn't resist sitting down next to someone with such an upbeat attitude."

"Uh, thanks. My name is Bella." Though his words were innocent enough, Bella suddenly felt her happiness dim and was ready to get on with her conference. Today she was supposed to have a small-group session with a few attendees and a professional songwriter where they would work on a song together.

James proceeded to sit right next to Bella the entire morning, attempting to engage her in flirtatious banter, which she politely but firmly returned with professional responses. Today she was dressed in an outfit Alice had left behind on the clothing rack she'd brought—Bella was wearing a pair of flattering skinny jeans, a cute but modest red off the shoulder blouse, and her new favorite cowboy boots—but despite her more trendy appearance, she was still here to learn about a career, not waste time with potentially skeevy men. She thought of how much time and attention she had been giving to Edward, but then shook her thoughts away. _He doesn't count…he's a gentleman. _And then her smile returned.

The rest of the day continued similarly, with James popping up from time to time, attempting to make a connection with Bella. He was even there in her small song-writing session. _Ugh, _she rolled her eyes at hic cliché suggestions. She was distracted most of the time, though, because at lunch she had received a phone call from Alice. The entire family had been benefactors to the local downtown art Museum, the Frist, and they were having an exhibit opening that night. Jasper couldn't attend because of a client who needed to produce a track "_immediately," _ so they had an extra ticket. Bella quickly accepted. Alice told her she'd be over at 6 pm with some more clothes, because none of her honky-tonkin' ensembles would be appropriate for this more subdued soiree.

_Am I going to see Edward in a suit? _She immediately thought, and then proceeded to try to force the attractive image from her mind as she attempted to concentrate and avoid James at the same time.

* * *

><p>Edward's day started similarly pleasant, spending the entirety of the day play golf with his dad, brother, and Jasper. The nice thing about having family in the medical, music, and sports industries is that they often had untraditional schedules. Since they didn't work the normal 9 to 5, they were able to make time for him this week.<p>

Of course, they'd barely waited until the 3rd hole to start in about his new friend Bella. "We love her, don't get me wrong, but you _looooove_ her," Emmett sang in his typical immature style. The other men, except Edward, laughed.

"Cut it out!" he exclaimed, though not as much angry as embarrassed. "I don't love her, of course. She's beautiful—"

"Freaking hot." Emmett interrupted.

"She's intelligent—" Edward continued.

"Quite the intellect," His father agreed.

Edward sighed and tried to finish his sentence. "And she's fun."

"Yeah, she's cool." Jasper said in his traditional laidback way.

Edward realized that he'd never have a chance to finish his thoughts, but was glad that his family seemed to have positive opinions about her.

Just then, a golf cart drove up, and they heard a high-pitched "Yooo-hoo" coming from the approaching vehicle. They all turned and noticed Judge Sutherland, an old friend of Carlisle and member of the club they were playing at. He was joined by his daughter, Victoria, who by definition was outstandingly beautiful and yet incredibly annoying. She'd always had her eye on Edward, since they were children in fact, and despite her looks, had always respectfully turned her down. He grimaced imperceptibly at the sight of her.

"Mind if we play though?" Victoria chirped as she jumped out of the cart. All the Cullen men, especially Edward, looked away as if the sky was suddenly intriguing. Her golf skirt was so short, they were afraid to look directly at it!

The way she said it, and the way that Carlisle and Judge Sutherland starting chatting about club activities and mutual friends, he could tell that they were not so much going to play through than play _with. _

The rest of the 15 holes were a comedy of errors, with Victoria coming on strong, Edward's brothers trying to run interference, and Carlisle and the Judge blissfully unaware, now discussing their putting practices.

On hole 18, Victoria approached Edward as he was refilling his water bottle at a nearby fountain. "I can't believe you didn't tell me you were coming home," she purred as she stroked him on the arm. As teenagers, there had been some harmless fooling around, as most teenagers tended to do, and she'd never let it go. _Maybe this trip I need to be a bit more direct. She's gone on too long thinking we were going to be a possibility. _

"Yeah, things have been busy back and Seattle, and I didn't really inform a lot of people—just my family and closest friends, really." He didn't intend to be rude, but did intend to make it known she was not on that list. Victoria charged on, undaunted.

"No matter," she responded as they walked back to the group. "You're here now, and that's what is important." She placed an arm through his, and he looked at his brother's for aid.

"Well, we best be moving on and finishing up," Jasper mentioned. "Don't forget, y'all, you've got that opening at the Frist, and you all need to get ready." It should have worked perfectly as an out. It didn't.

"Oh, you guys are attending tonight?" Judge Sutherland inquired. "Vicky, Mrs. Sutherland, and I will be there as well. How fortuitous!"

_How fortuitous indeed, _Edward thought bitterly. He checked his phone as they walked back to the club house, followed of course by Victoria and her dad. A text from Alice alerted him that Bella would now be taking Jasper's available ticket! Edward was a mix of emotions: happy he'd see her soon, and wary of Victoria inevitably laying it on thick tonight. _What a mess…_

* * *

><p>Right as Bella was leaving her last session, James swooped in next to her. "So, Ms. Bella, what are you up to tonight? Have any plans?"<p>

_Ooh, perfect opportunity to turn him down, since I in fact do have plans! _"Yes, actually. I am attending the new exhibit opening at the Frist tonight." She said it with a triumphant smile.

James's face fell for a moment, and then perked up. "Well, how funny. So am I! My sister is a member, but she couldn't go she gave me her two tickets. I was going to ask you to join me…but it's okay, because you'll already be there!" He paused for a second. "On a date?" he had the sense to ask.

Bella sighed heavily, both at the fact that he'd be at the same event as her, and also when thinking about this "date" question. _No, it is not a date. Edward doesn't even have my phone number. It's more of a date with Alice than anything!_

"No, just going with some friends." She smiled tightly. "Well, I better go get ready. Uh, I guess I'll see you there…" and with that she was off, walking quickly toward her hotel. James unabashedly watched her retreating form, licking his lips like a wolf.

**Ugh, of couse James and Victoria had to come crash the party... Peace, love, and review! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Welcome back! Enjoy, dear readers!**

Chapter 12

Bella smoothed her hands down her white sheath dress, fixing the borrowed baubled necklace resting on the high, straight neckline of her modest dress. The dress was beautifully on Bella; it hit right above her knees, the silky material clinging attractively to her flowing curves, and her arms were exposed and toned. But the most jaw-dropping element of the dress occurred when Bella turned around—the back was cut deep and dramatically, exposing almost the whole of her toned back. To show off the beautiful cut of the dress, Alice and Bella had finagled her hair into a chic but relaxed updo. Bella finished off the look with a pair of tasteful but sexy black suede pumps. All in all, she looked just like the moneyed elite she'd be rubbing elbows with in a moment.

She and Alice stepped up the red carpeted entrance, and the grand doors to the museum were opened to reveal a bustling, elegant interior. There were about a hundred attractive, well-dressed locals milling about the interior, looking at the paintings and discussing the art. Bella's eyes widened and she immediately felt nervous; what if she didn't fit in with this crowd?

But as soon as she'd had the thought, Alice spotted Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie, and Emmett and dragged Bella behind her up to the group. They all reacted happily to see her—well, they all hugged her with warm hellos, while Rosalie gave her a slight smile and a nod, which was good enough for her. Bella could barely take her eyes off the attractive group. Carlisle and Emmett were both in dark suits, looking incredibly dapper. Esme looked regal in a purple, long sleeved wrap dress and heels. Rosalie stunned everyone in a simple black, strapless dress and strappy shoes. And of course Alice stood out in a pink, short number with little colorful flowers all over it.

Once Bella recovered from her shock at the attractive family, she looked around, realizing Edward wasn't here yet. One look at her confused face and Alice squeezed her hand, motioning behind Bella. Bella turned slowly to see Edward was walking toward her and felt her knees grow weak…

* * *

><p>Edward walked through the doors, a little late to the party. Surprisingly, it had taken him a bit longer than usual to get ready. <em>It seems I'm trying to impress someone,<em> he laughed at himself. He scanned the crowd and immediately spotted his gigantic brother, Emmett, surrounded by the rest of his family. But he didn't see Bella. _Had she not arrived yet?_ he wondered.

At that moment, he noticed a brunette bombshell standing with his sister. He hair was pulled back and her white, slim-fit dress clung to her backside and revealed an enormous, sexy expanse of back. Edward could feel his mouth go dry. It popped open in shock a moment later when the brunette turned slightly toward him, and he caught her profile. _Bella? _

He practically jogged up to the group, and was graced with a smoldering look of approval from Bella Swan. Edward was sure his face showed the exact same expression. All of a sudden, it was just the two of them in the room, everyone else had suddenly disappeared.

"Hi," he said in a low voice, placing a warm hand on her back and leaning in to kiss her delicate cheek. He couldn't stop himself from the intimate gesture.

Bella's eyes widened, and he hoped he hadn't overstepped his bounds, but then they crinkled in the corners with a smile. "Hi back."

He caught a passing waiter and snagged two glasses of champagne, passing one to Bella who took it graciously. They quietly clinked glasses with shared smiles, and took delicate sips of the bubbly liquid.

"Oh, sure Edward, I would LOVE a glass of champagne as well. Thank you soooo much!" Bella and Edward were snapped out of their moment by Alice's sarcastic voice. He realized he'd completely ignored his entire family, too entranced by Bella, and Alice had no problem calling him out on it. He kissed his kid sister on the cheek, and motioned for a waiter to bring an entire tray of glasses over; all was suddenly right, and his family was greeting him like normal.

* * *

><p>A while later the group had broken off into twos and threes, wandering the bottom hall and discussing the paintings and sculptures that were displayed. Oddly enough, Bella and Rosalie had stopped at the same portrait, clearly both enjoying it over the rest, and Edward moved on to let them have a chance to bond. <em>This never happens,<em> he thought with a smile. Rosalie was mentioning something to Bella about the woman in the painting, and Bella was nodding emphatically. Edward glanced at Emmett and raised his glass, clearly pleased with the current events.

But then he saw Emmett's eyes narrow a bit, and he turned to see what he noticed. A tall, long-haired man had approached the two women, and was currently kissing Bella on the cheek. Rosalie glanced at him in surprise, and then suspicion, as she clearly was listening to whatever he was telling Bella. _How does Bella know anyone here well enough to kiss them on the cheek? _Edward asked himself grimly. _And who is this douche with the ponytail? _

Right at that moment, he was distracted out of his frustration by a cloud of perfume enveloping him. He knew right away who it was. "Victoria," he drawled tiredly, and she appeared from behind him with a flourish. He should have known what to expect; she was dressed to the nines in a skimpy red low-cut, short dress. Edward wondered if she realized that it was the art that was supposed to be on display, not her body. Her curly red hair was straightened today, and flowing down her body to end near her rear. _It's all…a bit much,_ he mused. _Not like the simple beauty and elegance of Bella._

He glanced back over, and by now Rosalie had rejoined Emmett. She shrugged at him as if to say, _What was I supposed to do?_ Bella and the dude were standing by a sculpture, and he was gesturing dramatically as if he held all the secrets to the art. Bella was nodding, but Edward couldn't tell whether she was happy to talk to the guy or wanted rescuing. _She's a modern, confident woman, Edward. If she doesn't want to be there, she'll walk away…right? _

Bella, meanwhile, was counting the minutes until she could politely extract herself from James's clutches. _Ugh, he's so annoying._ But when she looked back at Edward to see if he was available to give her an out, she saw him standing with a shockingly beautiful and skimpily dressed redhead. Her eyes widened as the woman placed her hand on Edward's chest and giggled at something. He didn't remove her hand, and Bella wondered who this woman was. _Did he used to date her? _And then her eyes widened in realization. _Are they dating now?_

Slowly the two pairs moved together and converged at a photograph on the wall. Bella glanced shyly at Edward and the woman hanging all over him, and he gave a blank look back at Bella and James. _Where was his normal, sweet expression? _

Victoria was the first to notice Bella and Edward looking at one another, and jumped in. "Hello, have we met?" She was clearly confused by the odd aura hanging in the vicinity.

Bella forced a smile and extended her hand politely, which the redhead returned in a weak grasp. "I'm Bella Swan. I know, er…the Cullens..." She trailed off, not confident enough to say she knew Edward himself.

"Oh, how lovely," Victoria purred. "I'm Victoria Sutherland. Edward and I go way back." She ran a hand through his hair as she said it, and Bella was in shock. _They had to have dated. _She looked down at her shoes, and didn't notice Edward removing Victoria's hands from his body. Victoria looked expectantly at James, waiting for an introduction.

"Oh, um, this is James." Bella stumbled out.

Edward's eyes shot up in question at Bella, and she shrugged helplessly at him. James smiled wolfishly at the redheaded stunner, and then placed a hand on Bella's back. "Yep, Bella and I have been making some beautiful music together lately…" he trailed off, and it sounded more like an innuendo than a reference to the song they had co-wrote in their session today. Edward glared subtly at James, but had too much class to say anything about it.

Suddenly, they were surrounded by the rest of the Cullen clan. Alice hardly gave James or Victoria a glance before she pulled Bella's elbow. "Uh, bathroom time, Bella. Come with?" and then drove her directly toward the ladies room.

Esme looked at Edward, "Son, would you accompany your poor mother to get another drink?" Edward's brow crumpled in confusion. _Poor mother? Esme is anything but dependent. _Either way, he nodded to the group and swept off with his graceful mom.

* * *

><p>Bella and Alice had convened in the bathroom, and Bella looked morosely at herself in the mirror. She was so plain compared to that sultry redhead bombshell. Alice stood next to her with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently. "Well, what was that all about?!" she practically yelled.<p>

"Oh James? Ugh, he won't leave me alone. I couldn't get rid of him." Alice defused a bit when she realized that Bella was receiving unwanted attention instead of seeking it from the creeper. "But it doesn't matter. Edward's girlfriend is here, and beautiful of course. I should have known he'd have someone back home." She sighed heavily and started looking for her cell phone, ready to call a cab to take her back to her hotel.

Alice cackled in wild laughter. "Victoria? Oh my god, that skank has wanted Edward for a hundred years. But she'll never get him."

Bella narrowed her eyes in disbelief. "You mean they don't have a romantic history, as she so clearly pointed out?"

"Well, sure, but it was a while ago…" Alice trailed off, lip bitten between her teeth, knowing how weird Bella probably felt seeing Edward's ex fall all over him. "But I really think he likes you! I mean, he hasn't said anything, but he doesn't really talk about all that. But I get a good feeling!" Alice looked up hopefully at the brunette, but Bella was already pressing confirm on her taxi app on her phone.

Bella smiled sadly at Alice. "It's fine, really. We've had a good time, and if he wants to see me again, maybe he'll try. But until then, I think I know when I'm intruding. Tell your family thank you for the ticket. It was wonderful…" And with that she pecked a speechless Alice on the cheek and flitted out the bathroom door.

* * *

><p>On the other side of the room, Esme was standing facing her son. "Dear boy," Esme began sweetly, "what the HELL do you think you're doing?" Edward's eyes snapped wide in shock. Esme almost never swore. "Bella is here looking like an angel, for goodness sake, and you're cavorting with that trollop Victoria Sutherland." Her voice conveyed just how much she disliked the desperate redhead always clawing her son.<p>

"I didn't mean to, she just showed up! And anyway, Bella is running around this place with that pony-tailed stranger, James." Edward was practically growling his name by this point.

Esme sighed heavily, and smacked him lightly upside the head. "Haven't I taught you anything, you dolt!" she chided kindly. "She clearly doesn't like him like she does you, and she has far more class than dating someone with such a ratty tail attached to his head!" Edward had to laugh at that description. "And even if she is spending too much time with him, it's your job to fight for the people you love!" At his shocked expression, she corrected herself, "Err, like, I mean." But even as she said it, her eyes twinkled as if she didn't want to correct herself.

Edward nodded, and then looked around. The problem was, he didn't see Bella anywhere…

Peace, love, and review!


	13. Chapter 13

**Welcome back! Enjoy, dear readers!**

Chapter 13

Edward tossed and turned all night, replaying the awkward events of the evening in his head. He couldn't believe how badly he had blundered things with Bella, and he was brainstorming the ways to fix it. _Hell, I don't even have her number. I can't even call and apologize for Victoria or even for not giving her the benefit of the doubt in regards to that guy James. Would she even want to see me?_

On the other side of town, Bella was experiencing a similarly fitful sleep. She kept imagining the redheaded Victoria hanging all over Edward, and had reoccurring flashes of James popping up from every corner, trying desperately to get Bella to date him. _What a strange night…It was supposed to start out so well; how did it all go so downhill? _

Bella wished that Edward could call her to talk about it, to convince her of the feelings Alice had said he felt, but with a heavy sigh, she realized that probably wasn't going to happen. _He's a smart, attractive, successful doctor. I think he has better things to do than try to resolve things with a girl he barely knows! _

Across town, two people drifted off to sleep, thinking of one another.

* * *

><p>Bella struggled through Wednesday morning, trying her best to take advantage of the second day of the conference, but still exhausted from the night before. During the break for lunch, she was sitting on an outdoor bench, resting briefly in the warm fall sunshine.<p>

"You look like you need this," said a voice right next to her. She jumped at the sound and opened her eyes to see a tall, dark-skinned man with short-cropped black hair standing in front of her at the bench. In his hands he was holding two cans of cola, and he handed one to her. She smiled her thanks, and cracked the can to take a deep, refreshing sip. Bella tried to imagine the caffeine working her way into her system, and felt immediately felt pepped up.

"My name's Jacob Black," said the tall man.

"Bella Swan," she responded. Bella watched him take a sip of his drink and recognized with some certainty that he was an attractive man; she knew it, and she could tell that he did as well. Normally she would find herself drawn toward his tan skin and chiseled features. And yet for some reason, she felt nothing. _Great! Edward's ruined me for guys,_ she thought with a resigned huff. _That sucks. _

Attracted or not, Bella allowed herself to be pulled into conversation with the generous stranger. He was here for the songwriting conference as well, hailing from Texas where he was currently making a living performing country covers at local Texas rodeos. Jacob regaled her with a few crazy tales of rodeo clowns and bull-riding fiascos, and Bella found herself laughing loudly in response, momentarily distracted from worrying about Edward.

* * *

><p>Edward, on the other hand, was not distracted. In fact, he had felt so badly about what happened the night before that he had let his meddling sister talk him into coming downtown to explain things to Bella.<p>

"But what's the point, Alice?" He had asked his sister this morning over coffee. "So she thinks I'm with Victoria, and I thought she was interested in James…we're not even together. We haven't even been on a date!"

Alice rolled her eyes dramatically, and responded, "Well you're never going to get together with that attitude! Seriously though…I know it feels presumptuous to try and explain your romantic situation to someone you've honestly just met, but is that how you want to keep it? As strangers? She just gets on her plane and you on yours and you head back to the exact same city, planning to just avoid each other?"

Even as she said it, Edward could feel the frown forming on his lips. That didn't sound right at all. He thought back to the plane-ride conversations, the hockey game, the night out at the bar, the first moments at the Frist…that meant something. Or at least, it could.

At that realization, he jumped up, placed a big, smacking kiss on his sister's forehead and ran out the door with a smile. It was silly to deny his feelings for this girl, just for the sake of trying to play it cool. So what that two days ago she was a stranger? Today she was Bella, and he was going to try to explain.

And that is how he came to be standing outside the convention center downtown, scanning the open square for Bella. He hadn't really thought about how much of a long shot it was—downtown is a bustling place and there were bunches of people out in the main courtyard of the convention center. But then he saw that most of the people were eating lunches, and he realized he'd come during a break. _She's got to be here somewhere…_

And like magic, as soon as he'd thought the words, he spotted her. She was just across the courtyard from him sitting on a bench with a tall, muscular, young guy. They were both drinking Cokes and laughing. They looked like some sort of retro Coke commercial. Edward felt deflated. _What an idiot, coming all the way down here to make some big gesture. Bella barely knows you, and she clearly has many suitors who she enjoys hanging out with. It's not your job to take that away from her! _And with that, Edward went to turn away.

* * *

><p>Across the courtyard, Bella felt the imperceptible prickle that one sometimes feels when eyes are focused on you. She stopped listening to Jacob's story and began to scan the area. At first she saw nothing, and then she caught a flash of a familiar profile turning away. "Edward?" Bella asked out loud.<p>

Jacob's eyes crinkled in confusion at the random interruption. "No, Jacob, remember?" he reminded her with a smile.

"Edward!" Bella almost yelled this time, completely ignoring Jacob at this point. She saw Edward stop, and she wondered if he'd heard her, but he didn't turn her way. "Sorry, I've got to go," she told Jacob, and rushed off to the recognizable man standing now only ten feet in front of her. Edward turned at the last second, so as she ran up toward him, they came face to face.

"What are you doing here?" She panted. _Man, I need to work out, _she thought seriously. But then her thoughts turned hopeful: _Is he here to see me? _

Edward was conflicted. Tell her the truth, that he was here for her, and possibly face humiliation; or he could make up some lie and save face.

He looked down at her beautiful face, glowing warmly in the sunshine, and then glanced back to the bench she'd come from. The man she was with was sitting back casually, staring straight at them as if to measure up his competition. Edward reminded himself that she had just been laughing and potentially flirting with the behemoth of a man, and lost his resolve.

"Er, I, came down here to…have lunch, with an old friend," he stammered out. His gut clenched at the lie.

Bella's originally eager eyes dimmed and she looked down, fumbling with her purse strap. "Oh, cool." And then she registered 'old friend' and was reminded of Victoria. "Probably that girl you were with last night, right? Victoria?" Bella couldn't seem to stop her mouth from moving. "Duh, of course it's her. Why wouldn't you be meeting her? You guys obviously had a connection…I mean, who wouldn't? She was sexy, and pretty, and you've known each other for years, according to Alice."

She was rambling too fast for Edward to really catch up with her train of thought, and he was still processing when he saw her turn away from him. "Well, sorry to delay you. Have fun. Say hi to Vicky for me," she threw casually over her shoulder as she attempted to walk away quickly in order to preserve the remains of her shattered dignity.

Edward couldn't form a reply fast enough, so he sprang out and grabbed her arm, stilling her retreat. Finally, he was able to whisper out, "Wait." Bella froze, though her back was still to him.

"I'm not meeting Victoria. I'm not meeting anybody, actually. That was a lie. I was too embarrassed to tell you the truth…I came here to see you." At those last words, Bella whipped her head around and stared warily at him, as if she wasn't sure she was hearing things correctly.

"Look," said Edward warily, running a hand over his face, "things have gone all wrong. They started out so great, and there was the plane, and the game, and the bar, and my family, and everything was fine."

Now it was Edward's turn to ramble. "But then there was last night. Victoria showed up, and she's always been a little obsessive over me, even though we are nothing now, literally nothing! I don't like her, and I've made it pretty clear we aren't going to be anything…well, not clear enough apparently," he mumbled as an afterthought.

Edward continued, undaunted. He'd decided to just spill it all now. It was the middle of his trip. If she validated his feelings, great! They could hang out the rest of his vacation, and maybe back in Seattle. If she didn't, he still had a few more days to lick his wounds here at home, surrounded by his supportive family.

"So what you saw last night was all Victoria," he explained. "I didn't really have a chance to explain because you where, uh, busy with your date, and—"

"My date!" Bella interrupted incredulously. "He wasn't my date!"

"Well, whatever he was, he clearly liked you, and you weren't really doing anything to avoid his attention." Edward watched Bella's eyes light up with fire.

"Excuse me!" She said in a hushed, angry whisper. "_I_ wasn't doing anything? What about you? I looked to you to come help me out from his _unwanted_ attentions, mind you, and you were too busy with Victoria's hand on your chest, hands in your hair, hands, hands, hands…" Bella trailed off, waving her hands in Edward's direction, emphasizing the point of Victoria's wandering hands.

Edward winced in acknowledgement of Victoria's assault on his body, and then huffed. "Well, it doesn't much matter now, does it? I came to tell you the truth and found you with Mr. Country Hunk Number 2," waving in the direction of Jacob, "who clearly wants to rip your clothes off, by the way."

Bella gasped in anger. "Well, what am I supposed to do? Sit quietly avoiding all male interaction while I wait around for the guy I actually like to _maybe or maybe not_ come down and confess his feelings for me?" She stomped her foot in emphasis, and then stared up at him in frustration.

As she was talking, erm, nearly yelling, actually, Edward found himself wondering how his plan for a romantic gesture had turned into an argument. _Man, we're not understanding each other very well_, he realized. And then when he heard her say she liked him, he felt a flutter of joy and decided to do the only thing he knew to get her to understand they were actually on the same page.

Edward looked down at a fuming Bella, her face all flushed and her eyes burning brightly, and thought that she was as beautiful as he'd ever seen her. This only strengthened his resolve. Edward placed a hand on Bella's back, bringing her close to him. Her eyes crinkled in confusion, clearly still thinking they were in the midst of an argument. "What—"

"Shhh," Edward whispered to Bella, and then he kissed her.

Bella froze, unable to put together what was happening. _One minute we're arguing, and the next he's kissing me._ She recognized the pressure of his lips against hers, and then he felt his other hand move up and place a hand on her cheek. Bella felt her eyes close at the intimate touch, and she was immediately pulled deep into the moment. Her own lips parted without her permission, and she Edward hum in pleasure at the deepening of their kiss.

Bella's fiery passion from the argument had nowhere to go but into the kiss, and she was swept away with it. She let a hand trail up his firm chest, while her other found purchase in his hair. They lost themselves in their embrace for no longer than a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity to both.

The deep gong of the nearby clock tower broke them out of their intimate spell, and they parted with a breathless sigh. Edward was still holding Bella close, but she let the hand in his hair drop to join the other on his chest.

He smiled at her, almost proudly. "I didn't think any more talking was going to fix anything. I figured there was another way to let you know how I felt."

Her eyes twinkled up at him, and she giggled in mirth. "Yep, I'd say that did the trick…" Then she stepped back hesitantly. "I, uh, have to go…" She motioned to all the people in the courtyard who were making their way back into the convention center for the rest of their sessions.

Edward pouted a moment, wishing that they could continue what they'd started. "Can you hang out tonight?"

Bella bit her lip and looked up at him apologetically. "No, I'm sorry…a bunch of us in our songwriting group are getting together to finish this song. We have to submit it to our coach tomorrow morning for review."

Edward smiled. "It's okay, I understand." But then he remembered who else was in her songwriting crew. "James will be there." It wasn't a question.

Bella sighed, and nodded. "Yeah, he will. But despite his flirting, he's actually a really experienced musician and songwriter, and his input is sometimes pretty valuable…" she trailed off, not sure if Edward had wanted to hear her praise James.

"Okay," Edward said quietly. He leaned in and kissed her, this time on the cheek. "I'll let you go. Maybe tomorrow we can work something out." As Bella watched him walk away, she touched her cheek and could tell that he was hurt, but there was nothing she could do. She walked back in to her sessions, her mind swirling.

**Ooh la la! Peace, love, and review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Welcome back! Enjoy, dear readers! Sexiness ahead, so hold on to your knickers!**

Chapter 14

The early Thursday morning sunshine crept through Bella's hotel window, drawing her from her deep sleep. She rolled over, trying to cover her eyes, and then jolted when her alarm clock began chirping loudly. Petulantly, she kicked her feet like a child in a tantrum, before heaving a heavy sigh and reaching to turn off the blaring instrument.

She was so tired. She and her group had stayed up into the wee hours of the night writing and rewriting, adjusting and debating. Finally they had pulled together some pretty decent lyrics, and all had dragged off to their respective rooms, ready to hit the sack.

Bella thought back to the end of the night, groaning when she remembered the last part. James and Bella's rooms were in the same part of the hotel, and they happened to share an elevator ride on their way to bed. Bella had stood next to the man quietly, counting the floors and trying to make them move quicker. James had looked down at Bella, around floor 3, and commented to her in a saucy whisper, "You should join me, you know, up to my room. I have a bottle of champagne already chilling that would be a perfect way to end the night. Well, the _almost_ perfect way…" And with that, he winked at her and moved closer, pressing her against the back wall of the elevator.

Bella desperately looked under his arm at the lit up numbers. 13…14. Ding! She let out a little whoop of joy, and ducked artfully under his cage-like arms. "Sorry James, I'm so tired." Bella faked a yawn. "You enjoy your champagne though!" and with a jubilant wave, she watched the elevator doors close on his aghast expression. Bella almost skipped down the hall to room 1408, pleased with herself for ditching the creep. As she crawled into bed, her smiled dimmed just faintly as she found herself wondering what new twist tomorrow would bring to her and Edward's burgeoning relationship.

But now it was morning, and she only had a few hours left before her conference came to a close and she was adrift, no plans with the Cullens in the works as of yet. She went on with her day, which was greatly improved by two things. One was that James seemed to have moved on, spurned by her rejection last night; he was now busy hitting on a blonde in a revealing crop top and daisy dukes. The second was that when her songwriting coach had reviewed her group's final product this morning, he especially loved the hook, which Bella had solely contributed. Bella's smile was resplendent at his praise, and for the first time, she felt like songwriting was actually something she might be good at.

A while later, the final speaker left the stage and the entire crowd of aspiring songwriters stood up for the last time to gather their things and same goodbye. Bella wandered into the main lobby of the convention center, wondering what she was going to do with her afternoon, and was shocked to see Esme and Alice standing expectantly with smiles on their faces, as if they had been waiting for her. They waved happily to her. Bella waved tentatively back, confused by their presence, and walked up to greet them.

"Hi guys!" she said with a warm hug. "What are you doing here?"

The two women smiled, and Alice clapped her hands. "Well, we came to pick you up! We knew that your conference finished up today, and we figured you might like some food, drinks, and fun to celebrate! You're coming with us to my parent's house; everyone is already there and we're going to have a barbeque and a little swim to celebrate the warm weather!"

Bella smiled, and that paused. "Does Edward know I'm coming?"

Esme and Alice got quiet and looked at each other for a brief moment. "Sure!" said Esme, and Alice joined in. "Of course!" Bella sighed with relief. She was excited to see him, but she didn't want to surprise him by waltzing into his family home unbeknownst to him.

The trio of women hopped into the car, not even needing to go to Bella's hotel since a) she didn't even pack a bathing suit, and b) Alice said she had an extra suit at the house for Bella.

Bella watched with wide eyes as they passed through elegant, tasteful neighborhoods of tree-lined streets and stately homes. After about 20 minutes, they pulled up to a gorgeous brick home with white columns and black trim. It was large, but not outlandish, and had a beautiful mature Magnolia adorning the large front lawn.

As soon as they parked, they spirited her into the house. "Where's everyone?" Bella asked.

"Oh, the boys are in the back playing some basketball, and Rosalie is getting the grill ready. She's our resident grill master," Esme said with a smile.

"We'll just get you ready, and then we'll head out there," Alice said, pulling out a handful of fabric from a drawer in her childhood room. "Er, it might be a bit small," Alice said, unfurling the scraps of fabric, not that there was much of it to see, "but it should do the job!" And with that, they left Bella to get dressed, or undressed based on how little fabric she was putting back on.

Once changed, she looked in the mirror and fairly fainted. There she was, all skin, barely covered by a light purple bikini. Thankfully she was quite slim, but even so, her curves where pushing the boundaries on little Alice's swimsuit. She would just have to be sure not to make any sudden movements. As she was leaving the room, she saw that Esme had hung a cover up by the door. She sighed in relief. Bella donned the short white shift, and though it covered almost none of her long legs, she felt a bit better.

Esme and Alice were waiting downstairs, and immediately pulled Bella through the amazing farm-style kitchen and out into the expansive backyard. They walked onto large, covered patio, complete with a long picnic style table, expensive grill, and a focused Rosalie. Bella said hello, and Rosalie greeted her by pointing tongs at her and curly asking, "Chicken or beef?"

"Uh, beef?" Bella said in surprise, unsure what the best answer would be to warm Rosalie toward her. Rosalie nodded as if to say, _good choice_, and went back to the grilling.

Bella scanned the rest of the backyard. Right off the patio there was an inviting aqua pool, and to the left of that, there was a generously-sized pool house. To the right, behind a tall row of bushes, was what Bella had been excited to see. There was Edward, completely unaware of her presence as he, Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper all played a rousing game of pickup basketball. _God, he's hot._

"Come on, Bella, you've got to feel the pool! It's heated, so it feels great," Alice interrupted. Bella smiled and followed Alice to the pool, where her new friend shamelessly shucked her jeans shorts and top and jumped cheerfully into the water. Bella was a bit more careful, gently removing the likely expensive coverup and setting it delicately on the nearest lounge chair. She also made sure to quickly tie up her hair to keep it dry. Finally, she gingerly stepped into the water, venturing further when she realized how pleasant the water was.

She and Alice floated in the temperate water, discussing Bella's day and future plans. All of a sudden, the boys emerged from the basketball court smiling and laughing, slapping each other on the back. Edward was removing his sweat-soaked shirt, and Bella could feel her heart rate quickening. He, on the other hand, didn't even notice her in the pool, and veered straight for the ice cold beer offered to him by his mom. "Maybe you'd like to offer some to our guest," she heard Esme say, and then nod in the pool's direction.

Bella had begun stepping up the stairs out of the pool, ready to go greet Edward, when she saw him turn with a confused expression. "What gue—"

Edward stopped short in the middle of his question. His lips were no longer capable of forming words, and his mouth was completely dry (probably because it was hanging open in shock). There was Bella, emerging like a nymph out of the water, her toned, lithe body glistening with water droplets. She smiled shyly at him, and he gaped at her with a stupefied face.

"Bella!" he finally got out. "You're here! In my parents' back yard!" He saw Esme and Alice's snickers in the background, and it dawned on him that they had intentionally surprised him with his new crushes' presence, just to see him gape like a fish. He narrowed his eyes briefly at his little sister, before moving in to embrace Bella and place a kiss on her cheek. But before he got too close, he realized how sweaty and smelly he probably was.

"Uhhh, better yet…I should probably rinse off quickly before anything else…" He grinned sheepishly at her, and his words were reinforced by a bead of sweat trailing slowly down his toned, exposed chest. He could see Bella's eyes follow the path of the drop, and then snap up at him.

"Yeah…go ahead…" She stammered out slowly, and he smiled. _So I guess it's not just me who's feeling a bit stupefied. _

Edward rushed off to the pool house, which had the closest shower available. Bella settled in with Alice and Esme at the table, sipping a cold beer and enjoying the company. Esme's eyes snapped up a few minutes later, just as her and Alice were patting out hamburger patties.

"Oh no, I forgot to put the fresh towels in the bathroom. I left them on the pool table this morning after I finished laundry. Bella, would you be a dear and run and place them outside the bathroom door?"

Bella nodded quickly and ran into the pool house, quickly locating the basket of fresh towels and grabbing one; she was trying to hurry to get Edward the towel before his shower concluded. She turned toward the bathroom door…right into a hard, wet chest.

**Readers:** How should this encounter play out? Review and give me your thoughts! Think of it as a Pick Your Own Sexy Adventure!


	15. Chapter 15

**Welcome back! Enjoy, dear readers! Eddy and Bells are in a playful mood today...**

Chapter 15

Edward grunted in surprise as he exited from the bathroom and bumped into another body. He was in search of something to dry off with, likely stashed somewhere around the pool house. What he didn't expect was to find a towel so suddenly, let alone in the hands of the very subject of those illicit thoughts he had allowed himself minutes ago in the shower.

Bella yelped in shock at running into Edward, and then again in shock to see that he was butt-naked. She averted her eyes up to the ceiling, pushing the towel into his chest. "Um, oh my God. I'm so sorry. I came in here to bring you a towel…"

Edward chuckled at her mortified expression, and gently took the towel from her. He wrapped it low around his waist and responded, "It's fine, Bella. I'm decent now, anyhow."

Bella looked at him once more, and she wasn't sure 'decent' was the right word for him. Though his naughty bits were covered by the small towel, the rest of him was sinfully on display. She took in the sculpted peck muscles, finely dusted with hair, as well as the wide shoulders and strong arms, everything slightly damp from the shower. His hair was wet and slicked back, making his facial features even more defined.

Edward watched Bella take mental inventory of his half naked body. Her hungry, needy eyes drove him wild, and he felt desire well up inside him. He took a half step closer to her, which put them nearly chest to chest, only her bikini and his flimsy towel separating their bodies. Edward saw Bella's skin prickle with goose bumps, and he instinctively ran a hand up her arm. "Are you cold?" he whispered roughly.

Bella shivered in his arms and then shook her head, indicating it was something else causing her to have these visceral reactions. She looked up at him, and their proximity was so close that he could feel her heart hammering in her chest.

"Are you hot?" he whispered even lower, and both of them knew he wasn't talking about temperature. The question hit her straight to her center, and her eyes closed in a moment of deep need. After this week of yearning, that was all the signal he needed; he immediately swooped down to capture her lips. This time there was no hesitation, and her mouth opened immediately to him, both her hands flying up to grasp his corded shoulders.

She closed whatever tiny gap remained between them, and suddenly could feel her soft body everywhere, hands against his shoulders, breasts against his chest, toned stomachs pressed intimately to his. But his thoughts went further south, where her hot center was pressed tantalizingly against his toweled hips. He felt his body react, and soon it was him trying to get closer. His hands moved quickly from her arm to her back, resting for only a brief second on her warm skin, before creeping lower to her rear. Both hands cupped her delectable ass and pulled her insistently against his growing hardness.

Bella groaned in ecstasy, and Edward decided he had to hear that sound again. He wrenched his lips from her gasping ones, and immediately set them to work against her neck, caressing the delicate skin there with his tongue and teeth. Bella threw her head back and grasped for the nearest steady object, which happened to be the pool table only inches behind her.

Edward decided to employ this handy piece of furniture, deftly grabbing Bella's ass and lifting her onto the table. Her legs immediately wrapped around his hips, and it was the best feeling Edward had felt in ages. Bella's hot core was now even more accessible to his eager hips.

They resumed kissing and touching, hands flying to every available inch of skin. Due to all the movement and friction, not to mention the growing member pushing against the fabric, Edward began to feel his towel slipping, coming imperceptibly loser with every second. Suddenly, he felt it slip, and he reached quickly to grab it, breaking their kiss in the process.

Bella sat up, breasts heaving with heavy gasps of breath, and saw Edward's hand trying hard to hold the two corners of his towel together over his bulge. She paused for a moment, both surprised that he had nearly exposed himself to her, and then momentarily displeased it hadn't happened. Without really thinking, Bella reached to where his hand held his towel, tracing her finger delicately along the tightly grasped fist. His eyes shot to hers, and in them he saw a hesitant heat, as if she was trapped between her desire and her proper sensibilities. Edward's eyes darkened. _Does she know she's playing with fire?_ he thought to himself. _How far is she willing to take this? Because I don't think I can stop if it goes any further…_

Bella took a deep breath and leaned toward him, touching her forehead against his. Their eyes met again, and this time her need was stronger than her shyness. His lips found hers, starting delicately, as if to ask permission, and then becoming more aggressive with his excitement. Just as he was about to loosen his grasp on the towel and lay Bella down onto the pool table, the door to the pool house sprang open behind him.

"Burger's up!" Rosalie called as she waltzed through the door. Then she saw them, all legs and skin intertwined at the edge of the pool table. "Woah, Nelly! Dear God, people, this is a high-traffic area. If you're going to get naughty, you need to get a bit more creative than the pool table!"

Bella and Edward scrambled to right themselves. Edward knotted his towel tightly around his waist and turned around, Bella's mortified face peeking out around his shoulder, as she still sat on the table. "Ahem, Rose, thanks for the update. We'll, ah…we'll be out in a minute." Then he looked down at his erection. "Make that two."

Rosalie groaned in disgust, but then smiled. "Didn't think you had the stones, _chica_. I'm impressed." She winked at Bella, and then turned to exit the room, but not before tossing a zinger over her shoulder. "Now Bella, you're still good for a burger? Are you sure you wouldn't like to have a wiener instead?" She barked out a loud laugh and strolled through the door into the backyard.

Bella and Edward sat frozen for a moment in the silent pool house. Finally, he let out a slow breath and turned to face her. "I should, uh… probably get dressed." She nodded minutely, still to embarrassed to speak, and he shuffled to a chest of drawers that was full of men's swim trunks. He ducked quickly into the bathroom to change, and Bella used the time to straighten up her suit and smooth down her hair, hopping up to grab a quick look in an adjacent mirror. _I look like I've just been ravaged!_ she thought in embarrassment, hoping no one would notice.

Bella gave a small jump when she saw Edward's reflection approach hers in the mirror. He moved slowly up behind her, wrapping his hands smoothly around her middle and swooping in to place a slow kiss on her cheek. "I'm sorry we got interrupted," Edward drawled in a low voice. "Maybe next time we can find somewhere a bit more private." And with that, he gave her a small squeeze and grasped her hand, leading her to the door before opening it for her to walk through. She fairly floated into the bright sunshine. _Next time?_

* * *

><p>The rest of the day passed in a happy blur. The pair got only subtly knowing looks from a few Cullens, but otherwise they were left alone. The entire group ate burgers and drank beer, joking and talking the entire time. The family was also generous with the stories of Edward as a kid, which garnered many glares from the man at her side and many laughs from Bella.<p>

The two of them were not trying to draw unneeded attention their way, so they didn't engage in any PDA. That being said, there were a couple of moments throughout the afternoon where Edward, the more playful of the two, would toe the line.

_Edward's hand placed innocently on her knee at dinner, but then moving higher and higher as his brother told an engaging story. No one even noticed when Bella's eyes fluttered as his fingertips faintly brushed the fabric of her swimsuit…_

_Bella reigning in a gasp as Esme took Bella on a tour of the house, on which Edward decided to tag along. It wasn't the high ceilings or marble floors that caused the gasp, but the large, masculine hand cupping Bella's behind as she leaned over the library desk, examining the family photo above it._

Soon, Bella took his actions as a challenge, and she began playing right along.

_First, it started small. They were splashing around with his siblings in the pool outside, and when swimming underwater, only barely allowed her hand to stroke teasingly against his hard abdominal muscles. Before he could register the feel of her touch, she was bursting out of the water, all smiles._

_Later, after a particularly rousing game of Go Fish, which the entire family was playing with gusto, Edward got up to grab a glass of water from inside the house. Bella feigned similar thirst, and hopped up to follow him. She tiptoed up behind him as he was filling his glass and attached her lips to his ear, sucking tantalizingly on the soft flesh. Edward had nearly broke his glass from the strain of his grip during that encounter._

Before Bella knew it, the evening was coming to a close. She immediately accepted when the Cullens offered her a room for the night, knowing that they'd rather take her back downtown tomorrow than so late in the night.

Esme provided her with the necessities and soon Bella was tucked away in a beautifully decorated guest room, conveniently across the hall from her new-found interest, Dr. Edward Cullen. Minutes later, he ran into her in the hallway on the way back from the bathroom, and leaned in to kiss her sweetly on the forehead. Though they had been teasing each other all day, he was still a gentleman and was not going to push for anything serious to happen tonight. _Let the ball be in her court_, he reasoned. "Sweet dreams, Bella Swan." Bella whispered good night, and then watched him disappear into his bedroom.

But as Bella lay in her borrowed bed, she tossed and turned. She couldn't get today, namely Edward, out of her mind. She trailed her hands up the same skin he had touched, whispered her fingers across the same lips he had kissed. Bella instantly felt her body respond, longing for something to sate her need.

Before Bella knew it, she had sprung up out of her bed, pulled the sleep shirt down to cover the tops of her thighs, and crept out her door. She knocked lightly on the door across from hers, and when she heard no answer, turned the knob slightly. "_Edward_…" she whispered. "_Are you awake?_"

**OMG, what should happen next. I literally still haven't even decided where this encounter will go, so review and give me some ideas (sexy ones get preference! lol). Peace, love, and review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Lemons ahead!**

Chapter 16

Edward awoke hazily, unsure of what had woke him. Then he heard a slight whisper. _"Edward…"_

He turned slowly to the door and tried to focus his eyes on the dark shape in the doorway. Hesitantly, the form moved closer. A beautiful face suddenly materialized in front of him.

"Bella?" he asked, half in confusion, half in excitement. He had just been dreaming about her, and here she was in front of him.

"Uh, is something wrong?" Though he was happy to see her, he wasn't quite sure what had caused her to creep into his room at –he looked quickly at the clock on the bedside table–three in the morning.

She came closer, and he scooted over, allowing her to sit delicately on the edge of his bed, just inches from him. "I couldn't sleep," she said in a whisper. Then, even in the dark, he could see that she felt embarrassed. "But I woke you up…I shouldn't have. I can go–" she whispered quickly, and went to stand up, but he caught her hand and pulled slightly, making it clear he didn't mind the intrusion.

"No, stay."

Edward peered at her in the dark, and it was then that he realized what she was wearing, or better yet, what she was not wearing. All she donned was a long t-shirt, which barely covered her lower half. Even now, as she sat by his side in the bed, he could see where the shirt had ridden up, revealing a dainty pair of lace briefs.

Edward couldn't take his eyes off of them.

"Maybe I was just nervous to sleep in this big house. Can I…can I lay here with you?" Her voice was unsure.

Edward didn't bother answering. He simply pulled her down until she was laying next to him on the bed. It was his bed from years ago when he'd lived here, and it was only a full, so they didn't have much room. He instinctively wrapped himself around her small body, and nearly groaned at the feel of full contact. He was wearing boxers, but even the thin fabric couldn't distract him from the warmth of her curves, pressed intimately against his front.

Bella settled in with a relaxed sigh and curled up contentedly against Edward, pulling his arm around her so that it rested low on her stomach. It was at this moment that he realized that the large shirt had ridden up on her torso, and his hand was encountering more skin than fabric.

He couldn't help himself. He left his hand splay out wide on her stomach, smoothing across the flat plains. Edward felt Bella's calm breathing catch suddenly, and he relished in her reaction. He made another pass across her torso, this time circling to caress her side. The movement would be almost caring, tender–if it wasn't so sensual…

Bella's heart was racing, and she couldn't help but take shallow breaths out of anticipation. Edward's hand kept passing softly over her skin, sometimes low, brushing against the top of her panties, sometimes high, _nearlyjustnearly_ against the bottoms of her breasts. Her head was spinning with the sensations, and she unconsciously rubbed her bottom half against his in dizzying need.

At her slight but significant movement, Edward groaned and dropped all pretenses. His hand shot up and cupped the breast he had been consciously avoiding, at the same time thrusting himself against her curved bottom.

"Edward." Bella gasped out, throwing her head back against his chest. He leaned down and sucked at the skin revealed when her hair fell back out of the way. This sensation, combined with Edward's strong hand firmly kneading the soft globes of her breasts was too much. Bella began rubbing her legs together in agony, mewling softly in the silent night.

Edward was in 7th heaven. He couldn't believe how amazing it felt to be caressing her soft curves. He let his fingers grasp a nipple and roll it slightly, and it was like Bella had been electrocuted; her body tensed and then arched into his hand. _So reactive_, he thought.

Meanwhile, Edward wasn't much less reactive. His hips were thrusting insistently at Bella's. He knew that she felt his need for her; it was very apparent and straining firmly against her ass. Both of them were covered with fabric, but had there been none, he knew this would already have progressed a lot farther. Thinking about how obvious his need for her was made him begin to resent how hidden hers was; as a woman, it was hard to tell how turned on she was, physically.

Edward had to know.

"I want to touch you, Bella." Edward said in a low rush. Since his hand was already busy on her breasts, it was clear he meant to touch her elsewhere. She looked back over her shoulder, eyes blazing with need. They locked gazes for a minute before she pulled him in for a kiss. Tongues moved against each other and teeth tugged sensually on lips, and Edward took her kiss as permission.

His hand trailed down swiftly, and finally dove into those lace panties he'd focused on earlier. At first, he simply let her get used to his large hand cupping her most intimate place, but then he allowed a finger to trace along her center. Edward groaned into Bella's probing mouth. She was clearly as turned on as he was…he felt the evidence soaking his hand.

At his touch, Bella rolled her hips forward, chasing the feeling. Edward rolled her over, so she was under him and he was suspended above her on one locked, muscled arm. His hand continued exploring within the lace paradise, and her head whipped back and forth, eyes closed against the overwhelming sensations. He leaned down and bit her ear gently. "Look at me."

Bella's eyes snapped open, and then caught on fire when he slipped two fingers into her heat. Moans and gasps emitted from her mouth in a continuous symphony as his digits worked magic against her, inside her.

_She is so beautiful,_ thought Edward, watching her chest heave and her dark hair stick to her neck with perspiration. _I need to see more. _Suddenly, his hand was gone and her mouth snapped open in protest.

"Wha–" Bella began, but stopped when he pulled her up, gently pulling up the t-shirt as she rose from the bed. She raised her arms and let the fabric come fully off.

They sat intertwined on the bed, torsos vertical and pressed against each other. He swooped down then and let his lips catch a straining nipple. Bella arched back. Her hand fell to his own chest, and scratched softly down his muscles.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open. "More, Edward." Her hand went down to their connected center and pressed against his covered length. "I want more."

Edward exhaled heavily and happily obliged, laying her back onto the mattress and laying back down beside her. His hand returned between her legs, and hers snaked artfully into the top of his shorts, quickly grasping his hard length.

Though he wanted desperately to take it further, to take it all the way, he wanted to wait. That being said, he didn't remotely have the willpower to stop what was already happening… _Really, what's the harm in a few more minutes of this? _

So that's where they stayed, mouths fused and hands groping desperately. They stayed partially clothed, as if they were shy teenagers, but both enjoyed the naughtiness of the situation. Soon, Bella's firm smooth stroking and pulling on his length became too overwhelming. In response, his fingers probed more desperately in her wet center, and she keened out a low wail, hiking a leg over his hip to give him more access to her body. Both of them panted desperately into each other's mouths, and in the dark night, they almost appeared as one entity, they were so closely intertwined.

Suddenly, Bella convulsed against him, thrashing and moaning. He could feel her warmth flutter against his fingers, and he swallowed her scream into his kiss. Her grasping hand tightened on him, and it all then too much for him to handle. He was falling over the edge, thrusting and spilling wetness into her fist.

They lay for a minute as the fog cleared. Both were panting and shaking as if they'd just finished a marathon. Edward detangled himself from her, kissed her sweetly on the nose and hopped up to grab the towel hanging on the door. Slowly he cleaned Bella up, delicately caressing and kissing as he went. Finally, once both were set, he fell into bed next to Bella. She snuggled into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing the head tucked into his chest. Before either of them could think another thought, they were whisked away into exhausted oblivion.

**Whew. I'm spent. What did you think? Too much…too little? Let me know your thoughts! Peace, love, and review! **


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry it's been a while guys! Enjoy this chapter. Hopefully another one will be forthcoming soon!**

Chapter 17

Friday morning rolled around, and both Bella and Edward were soon rousing from the sun streaming through the window and the subtle noises of breakfast being made downstairs.

"Good morning," Bella heard a gruff voice say.

She stretched languidly in response, right into Edward's warm body. She glanced up and grinned sheepishly at him. "Morning."

Edward rolled over onto his side and smoothed Bella's tangled hair away from her face. He leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her lips, or so he intended.

Bella, enjoying his sweet kiss too much, sighed deep into his lips. Suddenly Edward was overwhelmingly aware of her half-clothed body in his arms. His lips parted and coaxed hers to do the same.

_What a way to wake up…_he mused hazily, running his hand up her smooth upper thigh. Bella's body immediately broke into pleasant shivers, and she snuggled deeply into his embrace. Somehow, her leg came to be hitched over his, and before they knew it, they were nearly back to the same position as the night before.

After a minute of this, Bella broke away with a gasp, her chest rising and falling with deep breaths. She gazed into his hooded eyes, and her body tingled tantalizingly in response.

"We need to be getting up…" Bella trailed off, struggling between giving in to the hand caressing high up on her hip and the group of people downstairs probably waiting for them to emerge.

Edward rolled his eyes and chuckled, knowing his family all too well. "You're right, we better get ourselves up and ready. They're no doubt wondering where we are."

Bella smiled in response and rolled out of Edward's bed, quickly pulling down her mussed shirt to cover her backside. "Okay, um, see you down there." And with that she darted out of the room, trying desperately not be seen exiting Edward's by another Cullen.

About 30 minutes later, both were freshly showered and changed into clothes for the day. Bella laughed as she walked down in a borrowed sundress that had been gently folded in front of her door; _who knew that almost my entire Nashville trip would be spent with a wonderful group of people that until four days ago were complete strangers?_

She sat down at the breakfast table and greeted the various Cullens coming and going. Breakfast was a casual affair, and everyone was more focused on getting fed and ready. Alice sat down and informed her what the family was up to on that beautifully warm day.

"Pontooning! And you're coming with us!" Alice exclaimed, and Bella's face lit up.

"Boating?" She responded excitedly. Bella had grown up partly on a boat, due to her father's love for fishing in the Pacific Northwest waters.

Alice informed Bella that the entire family would be heading out on Emmett and Rosalie's boat on one of the local lakes in the area.

"The boys are already getting the car loaded up…I'm sure Edward got roped into it as well. All you need to do is go pack up your suit and slip on some sandals. The rest is covered!"

Before Bella knew it, the whole gang was piled into a couple cars, driving out to the marina where Emmett stored his boat. She bounced along happily in the backseat of Carlisle's car between Edward and Alice, Jasper navigating from the front seat. Emmett, Rose, and Esme were following behind them.

Edward looked over at Bella, and smiled at her jubilant expression. He grabbed the hand closest to him, and that's how stayed the entire drive, hands interlaced on the seat between them.

About two hours later, Bella was dozing comfortably on the deck of the large pontoon boat as others played cards or read books. Music was playing from somewhere. It was already late morning, and she heard Carlisle and Esme already discussing plans to grill in a little bit. Suddenly, she felt the seat next to her depress and looked over to see Edward, sweaty skin shimmering slightly and copper hair shining gloriously in the sun.

"Did you want to get in the water? Emmett brought out some floaties and such, and they're all ready to go."

She smiled at him and nodded, taking his offered hand to help her stand up. They moved over to the open back deck. She looked hesitantly at the cold water, but Edward grabbed her hand and before she knew it, they were jumping in. Bella shrieked at the temperature, but once she climbed onto the black inner tube, and back into the warm sun, she again felt great.

Bella and Edward floated side by side, just off the starboard side of the boat. She heard others jumping in, though on the other side of the boat. For a moment, it felt like it was just the two of them, and they both smiled lazily at each other from their perches. Bella held out her hand to him, and Edward grasped it in his warm grip. They stayed like that for the good part of the day, only breaking to jump in the water to cool off or come up on the boat for a beer or some food.

At one point, Bella was up on the boat reapplying sunscreen and looking out on the beautiful lake surrounding her when a shadow suddenly overtook her position. Rosalie approached and stood by her side, donning her sunglasses to shade her eyes from the sparkling water.

"You did good, Swan," she said casually, and Bella edged her eyes in the blonde's direction, unsure of what she meant. "Edward rarely comes home," Rosalie continued, "and when he does, he can't seem to lose the tension he carries with him back in Seattle. He never truly looks happy…" The blonde trailed off and Bella really looked at her this time. She saw the look on Rosalie's face, which conveyed her love for her brother-in-law.

"I didn't do anything. It's you guys who've welcomed me and planned all these fun activities," Bella reminded her.

The beautiful woman turned toward Bella and smirked. "Yeah, but we only did it because you caused him to relax and enjoy himself for once. Anyway, like I said, you did good." And with that, Rosalie tipped her beer in Bella's direction, and then turned away to go find Emmett.

Bella smiled to herself, and then to Edward when he called out at her from the water. Rosalie had thanked her for letting Edward have fun, but little did they all know that this was the best time she'd had since she was a kid. This family took her in, no questions, just due to the friendship extended to her from Edward and Alice. She found herself wishing that this week would never end. _What's going to happen when we get back to Seattle?_

Around five, the entire group was losing energy, drained from the sun and splashing around in the lake. Emmett expertly navigated the boat back to the marina and angled the boat in to the slip. All of them gathered up the towels and leftover food, arms laden with the evidence from their eventful day. As Bella and Edward settled into the car, Bella was able to stretch out a bit because Carlisle decided to ride back with Esme in the other car. Edward put his arm around Bella and they both sighed contentedly, relaxing into each other. With the tunes lightly playing on the radio and the sun sinking slowly in the sky, Bella let her eyes drift close in happy exhaustion. The very last thing she felt before she slipped into a short nap was Edward's soft kiss against he top of her head.

**I've got a little bit of rider's block currently. In the story timeline, the Carrie concert is happening "tomorrow night" but I'm struggling on what to have the characters do during the day. Any suggestions? Peace, love, and review.**


	18. Chapter 18

**I'm back! Only a few more chapters, and then we part ways! Can't wait to get to the good end!**

Chapter 18

Bella rushed around her hotel room Saturday morning, a toothbrush in her mouth and one ballet flat in her hand. She was in a hurry, and she really didn't want to be late. Edward was picking her up in just ten minutes, and she was a frazzled mess. _If he would only just tell me where we were going, at least I'd be a bit more at ease_, she thought with a huff. But considering it a little more, it was pretty sweet that Edward was surprising her with a trip to explore some famous Nashville haunts, and she didn't have to a darn thing but show up!

Bella popped into the bathroom to finish up her teeth. As she stood in front of the mirror, brushing away, she let her mind drift to the night before. After the day on the lake the day before, the Cullens had swung through downtown and dropped her off at the hotel. Edward had gently nudged her awake—embarrassingly, she had slept all the way there on his shoulder—and helped her gather her things from the car. He had walked her all the way through the lobby and up to the room, before placing her bag inside the hotel room entry.

Bella blushed when she remembered his goodbye. She had been standing awkwardly in the doorway, wishing he could come in and knowing that his family was waiting downstairs. She opened her mouth to say her thanks for the wonderful day, but he interrupted her by grasping her hip and pulling her into his body. She faintly gasped, placing a hand against his hard, warm chest, and then blushed under his heady gaze.

"I want to come in, Bella. I want to draw you a hot bath and climb in with you. I want to take you to bed, and spend all night with you." Bella had nearly buckled at the whispered words, and she could literally feel herself tugging at his free hand, urging him back into the room. "I want all those things, but I have to go. Maybe, we could take a rain check for tomorrow?"

Bella had huffed at the delay in his oh-so-tempting plans, but she understood. _Maybe we're taking it a bit fast…it's probably a smart thing to press pause_. Even as she thought it, she didn't believe it. Especially when he drew her into his warm embrace, his dominant hand snaking into her cascading locks and twisting into her hair at the base of her neck, bringing her in for a gasping, deep kiss. What had been a nice, relaxing, carefree day had quickly escalated into a sizzling, end-of-night farewell.

The buzzing of her phone brought Bella back to reality. She saw that it was a text from Edward, warning her that he was entering downtown and would be at her hotel in five minutes. Suddenly she was all aflutter, throwing a cardigan, lip gloss, and sunglasses in her bag and hoping she'd gotten ready accordingly. She checked herself once more in the mirror. Cuffed, ankle-length black jeans, a loose, partially tucked chambray shirt, and nude, dainty ballet-flats. She tossed a light floral scarf around her neck and was already headed out the door, the butterflies in her stomach fairly carrying her down the stairs toward her waiting Edward.

Edward smiled as he tapped on the steering wheel with his free hand to the catchy tune. His other hand was occupied, clutching Bella's on the console between them. That's how their hands had stayed since she'd approached him in the parking lot fifteen minutes earlier. As soon as he'd scooped her up in a gallant kiss hello, he'd grasped her hand and hadn't really let go.

Edward felt a squeeze and looked over at Bella. She was looking curiously at the surroundings, clearly trying to discover where they were going. He smiled and squeezed back. She'd find out sooner or later.

Ten minutes later, Edward pulled up to a magnificent drive, leading into one of the most beautiful places in Nashville. "Cheekwood?" he head Bella mention with confusion. "What's Cheekwood?"

"This is one of the most beautiful botanical gardens, Bella. It's a huge space once owned by the founders of Maxwell House, the coffee brand. Now it is simply a big, impressive space for a museum, large gardens, and cool installations. This month, they're displaying their Fall Foliage collection. I know Seattle doesn't get the changing colors nearly as much as the south, so I wanted you to be able to enjoy the beauty."

Bella smiled at Edward's thoughtfulness. He was right; she loved the changing colors of autumn trees, but she never got to enjoy it in the "Emerald City" of Seattle. She was even more pleasantly surprised when he parked and pulled out a picnic basket and a large thermos of wine, which he tucked into the basket with a conspiratorial wink.

"After you," he gestured with a gallant wave.

The rest of their day passed in a blissful blur. They toured the grounds and the museum, and Bella wondered over the exquisite gardens and foliage. Edward brought her into the unseasonably warm sunshine on the huge sprawling lawn, and they spread out the blanket for their picnic. There they lay, lazily sipping wine from the thermos and snacking on the sandwiches and fruit he had packed. They had even gotten in a little more time for conversation.

"So what are your plans for your songwriting career?" Edward asked between bites of the figs he had packed. Bella guffawed in an unladylike manner beside him, sitting up on one elbow to glance over at him.

"What songwriting career?" she said with an eye roll. "I've only just begun exploring the possibility, and I'm not even sure I'm that good."

Edward placed a hand on hers resting between them and caressed her smooth skin with his thumb. "I'm sure your great. You're intelligent and eloquent and creative. What else could you want in a hit songstress?" He smiled dazzilingly at her in the early afternoon sun, and she felt blinded for a brief moment.

"Well, maybe. At any rate, I can only tell you what would happen in my ideal situation. I'd write a hit song, get a major star to play it, and make enough money from the hit to have a legitimate reason to quick my job. I guess if I had it my way, I'd become valued enough in the business to make it worth it to move here, where the business is. I'd never imagined moving from Seattle, but…" she glanced around at her beautiful surroundings, "I guess it's not so bad here after all."

The whole time she spoke, Edward had been studying her silently. After she finished, he unexpectedly leaned forward and placed a gentle, tender kiss on her lips, surprising the both of them.

Bella cleared her throat and tossed the question back to him. "What about you? What do you hope for your career?"

Edward flopped back on the blanket, and then, glancing up at Bella leaning over him, tugged at her free hand and pulled her down beside him. "I don't know," he sighed. "I love Seattle, and I love the Seahawks, but I think I need a change. Every time I come down here, my family dos a really good job of trying to get me to stay. Sometimes I miss the home-cooked meals, the ragging from my brother and Jasper, and the witty sweetness of Alice and Rose. Not to mention the attention and care that my parents give. I'm truly lucky."

Bella sighed into his side. He was right. He was blessed. Her family was far less impressive, but she made due with what she'd had. _But he wants to return to Nashville_, he thought. _What a coincidence. _Together they lay, lost in their own thoughts and making idle chit chat.

Finally, the sun was beginning to sink down toward the horizon, Edward hopped up and helped Bella to her feet. They both stretched, and Edward couldn't help look at the slight sliver of skin peeking out from under her blouse. He knew he could see more from any other woman on any given summer day, but seeing Bella's pale skin peeking out under her shirt aroused him like no other. He immediately wrapped one hand around hr middle, puling her roughly into his form. She briefly gasped before he sunk down into a heady kiss. They both fell into it for a moment, before parting with a heavy sigh. "Let's get you home and ready for tonight."

And with that, he was the one left in the dust as she pulled him to the car. Tonight, she was getting to see Carrie!

**Sorry it's been so long. I need some love! It's so hard to work and write at the same time, so let me know if you like what I do!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Bella sipped at her glass of champagne, giggling as the bubbles tickled at her lips. She leaned into Edward's outstretched arm and posed for the picture that Alice was adamantly requiring from her side of the limo. "Bellllllla," she said in her sing-song, tipsy voice, "lean in closer. There, that's better." There were a series for flashes, catching Bella and Edward cozied up toward each other, both dressed up to the nines.

Edward was decked out in a pair of dark jeans, a white button up shirt, black blazer, of course all finished off by his favorite pair of black cowboy boots. When Bella had seen him earlier in the evening, she had barely been able to contain herself; luckily his family had been waiting in her lobby as well, so she had been able to restrain herself from jumping on him in public.

Bella was also looking her best. Alice had come through again, popping by to the hotel a few minutes before the others to get her dressed. All she had told Bella was to wear her hair down and do her make-up dark and sultry, so Bella had tried her best and waited for Alice to bring the finishing touch, the dress. Alice had come through, in spades. This night, Bella was dressed in an emerald green, spaghetti strap wrap dress that clung to her slim curves. The wrap overlapped asymmetrically so the two pieces came to meet over her left leg, and in doing so, revealed a large sliver of thigh. Paired with a pair of black heels and a flowing pattered scarf to cover her arms, she was a vision. Everyone thought so, but no one more than Edward, who could not help himself from touching her exposed leg and placing hidden kisses against her sweet-smelling neck.

The whole family was on the way to the concert downtown, and with their large crowd, had decided to spring for a limousine to cart them around town so they could chat and sip champagne in style. The only one not with them at the moment was Rosalie, who by now had probably completed sound check as Carrie's drummer and was preparing for the night's performance. Since this was a charity concert, things were much fancier than they normally would be at a country show, which is why the rest of the Cullen gang was also draped in their own elegant clothes.

Pretty soon, the limo pulled up outside the Ryman where the concert was to take place. Edward hopped out and put out a hand for Bella to emerge from the vehicle. There were lines of people outside of the venue, waiting to get in, but the group was able to breeze right past through the VIP entrance, all of them talking and giggling and buzzed from the champagne.

Bella looked around with wonder as she entered the Holy Church of Country Music. Literally everyone that was anyone had performed here, and hopefully one day, she would here her songs playing here too.

They settled into their seats, and Bella watched as the rest of the audience finally filed in. She settled comfortably against Edward and smiled up at him as he placed an arm around her shoulders. "Are you excited?" he whispered to her.

"Yes! I can't believe I'm here, sitting in these great seats with a great man listening to great music. It's crazy: just a week ago I didn't know you and I hadn't experienced any of this. I'm really glad I took the chance to come to Nashville."

Edward's eyes lit up as she spoke, and he leaned down to place a kiss on her grinning lips. "I know it's crazy. I feel the same way. Like everything has changed in these few days, and my brain knows it's fast, maybe too fast, but every other part of me can't imagine going back to how it was before. I'm having the best time with you."

Bella felt tears well up in her eyes. He was right. This was the strangest mix of emotions. Fear and excitement, worry and hope. The lights dimmed and she decided she would put it out of her head for a few more hours. It was Saturday night. She was supposed to leave tomorrow at 5PM. They'd figure something out before then. _Right?_

As soon as the flights began flashing and the band started up, Bella was lost in the show. There were plenty of acts besides Carrie. Martina, Brad, Keith, Blake, and Miranda. But Carrie was the star of the show, literally. Rose was not too shabby either. She was rocking in the band, and it was hard not to notice her beautiful blonde hair and statuesque body, even behind the drum set.

Before Bella knew it, Carrie was finishing her finale, and the crowd was on their feet for a standing ovation. "Thank you so much, Nashville!" Carrie yelled into the crowd. "Because of you all tonight, plus the pre-sales from the live album of tonight's performances, my charity, the C.A.T.S Foundation in association with the Humane Society of the United States has raised over $400,000 dollars. We're so happy to have y'all. Now go out and enjoy Broadway! Good night!"

Bella began to gather her things up, expecting them to head for the exit, but Edward grabbed her hand and gestured toward Emmett, who was already walking against the flow of traffic toward a security guard at the entrance to backstage. He flashed a set of passes at the bulky man, and suddenly the door was opened and the entire Cullen family was being led through a series of hallways.

"Oh my God!" Bella whispered, grasping Edward's hand tightly.

Alice looked behind her and flashed a giddy smile at the couple. "I've been back here plenty to help style stars before their shows, but it never gets old! Isn't it awesome?"

Bella nodded, and then blinked in shock as they passed Keith chatting with a band mate in a room off to the right. And there was Miranda with her husband Blake, posing for pictures in front of some press. Bella was practically openmouthed by the time they made it to a door at the end, which the guard knocked on and then opened. The large room was buzzing with activity; Carrie was getting hugs from her small pups and large husband, managers and publicists were talking on phones, band members were chatting and laughing, and everyone was having a good time.

"Emmett!" Rosalie had just noticed the group walk in and jumped up to go greet her husband.

He swiped her up in a hug and whirled her around once. "You were fantastic, babe!" Emmett said, and the rest of the group agreed. Emmett then barked a friendly hello at his teammate, Carrie's husband, who waved hello and brought a smiling Carrie over to say hello. Emmett leaned down and embraced Carrie, congratulating her on her show's success, and Alice was second in line, air-kissing the major star and complementing her on her dress. They had worked together before and were plenty friendly.

"Thanks Emmett, thanks Alice! Is this your family?" She said with a smile, gesturing to the large group behind the siblings.

Alice nodded, and began to introduce the whole group. "Dr. Carlisle and Esme Cullen, Nashville natives," she began with her parents, "my husband Jasper—I think I mentioned he works in the industry as well." Carrie smiled and waved at the three new faces. Then Alice moved on. "And finally, this is our big brother, Dr. Edward Cullen. He lives in Seattle. And this is Bella," she finished, and Bella was honestly surprised to be included in the family introductions. "Bella's a songwriter, and she also lives in Seattle. But maybe if she gets a break, we'll get lucky and she'll join us here in good ol' Tennessee." Alice winked back at her, and Bella's eyes widened with happy shock. She waves a slight hello at Carrie, too frozen to speak.

"Very nice to meet you all," Carrie said. "You have a beautiful family," she said to her friends Emmett, Alice, and of course, her band member Rosalie. "So Bella, you're a songwriter? What type of music? Country, I hope!"

Bella laughed slightly and shook her head. "Well, really, I—" she began to correct Carrie; she wasn't enough of a songwriter to even call herself one.

But before she could finish, Alice jumped in and interrupted. "Oh yeah, she writes amazing country songs. In fact, she's just finished one up this week. From what I've heard, it is unbelievable."

Carrie's eyes lit up, and she smiled at her manager who was hanging out nearby. "Did you hear that, Billy?" He laughed and gave her a thumbs up. She looked back at the group and giggled. "I've been looking for some new material, and I've come up with zilch. It's surprising how hard it is to find a good song, even in Nashville! Alice has great taste, at least in clothes, and if she says you're great, I've got to trust her. Why don't you send over your song to my manager tomorrow? I'll have him give you his contact info."

Billy whooshed by in a flash, and before Bella knew it, she had Billy's card in her hand and was standing wide-eyed in front of the entire group. She cleared her throat, and then found her sanity enough to smile. "I will! Thanks, that is such an amazing opportunity."

Suddenly, a whole group of donors entered the room, and Carrie was shuffled away to meet the VIPs. Bella looked immediately at Edward, who couldn't contain his proud smile, before breaking out into a muted squeal. "Oh my gosh! Thank god we all have the rights to that song we wrote for the conference. I have to text them and let them know the news!" Immediately she was flying through her phone, huge smile on her face, wildly texting the rest of her songwriter collaborators. Their responses were ecstatic, so happy that a major star was looking at their song. Even James was able to keep it strictly about the music this time.

"Well, let's go celebrate!" Esme called to the group. They swooped up Rosalie, who by now had freshened up and changed, and made their way just a block down to the sights and sounds of lower Broadway.

**Tell me what you think. Peace, love, review!**


	20. Chapter 20

"Brrr..." Edward heard as he guided Bella into the hotel lobby. She was wrapping his blazer tighter around her slim shoulders, but in the cool fall air, was still shivering slightly. They had just wrapped up a night out in downtown Nashville with his entire family, and because Bella knew she didn't have to drive, she had let loose and had fun tonight. Edward had gallantly offered to walk her back to her hotel, and she graciously accepted. Both of them knew it was also an excuse to spend a few uninterrupted minutes alone together.

Edward led her to the elevator, and once it arrived, they stepped inside. Bella immediately leaned against him still shivering, and he instinctively put his arms around her, rubbing up and down on her covered arms, creating warmth. she hummed in contentment, and burrowed deeper into his embrace. Edward looked down at her face, only inches from his own, and felt the inescapable urge to kiss her. Suddenly, the elevator came to a halt with a ding, and he blinked once, coming to reality and realizing they were at her floor. He guided Bella gently down the hall, and she tiredly shuffled along beside him, absentmindedly humming one of the hits from tonight under her breath.

"Here we are," Edward announced as they came to her door. Bella immediately swiped her key over the door and the little green light blinked a welcome at them. She quickly swung upon the door, immediately slipping off her stiletto heels, sighing in deep pleasure when her bare feet hit the soft carpet.

"Home sweet home," she said with a giggle, and then stopped when she thought for a moment. "But not for much longer, I guess..." She trailed off, diverting her eyes from his and busying herself with the bedding, drawing it back and fluffing the pillows.

"What time is your flight tomorrow?" Edward asked softly, grasping her wrist to stop her from fluttering about in madness.

She sighed and sank down onto the sheets next to him. "5 in the evening. What about you? You must be heading back to Seattle soon, right?"

He nodded. "I'm catching the last flight out, at 8 PM. I'm going to stay and have an early dinner here in town, and then head for the airport. I'll get in late, but it wont be too bad."

Bella sighed and flopped back onto the bed, closing her eyes. "What are we going to do, Edward?" Bella opened her eyes when she felt him lay down beside her on his side, propped up on his elbow. She rotated to her side to match his position, and for a moment, he just stared at her, memorizing her features and reading the feelings in her deep brown eyes.

"I don't know. Honestly, this was all so unexpected, I haven't really had time to think through a plan. But, I know that I have enjoyed this week, more so than almost any other time in my life. I don't...I don't want to lose this feeling."

Bella smiled, tears swimming in her eyes. "Me neither. I know it's strange, and who knows what you're life is like back home, and if this was all a weird fluke that only worked out because of the magical qualities of a vacation away from normal life, but maybe, just maybe, we see if it sticks."

Edward grinned back at her in return and brushed a soft thumb against her cheek, catching the stray drop that had fallen past her thick, dark lashes. He let his hand trail further into her dark locks, smoothing them away from her face. Once he started, he couldn't seem to stop, continuing his journey by trailing his hand down her thick waterfall of hair as it draped over her shoulder and beside her neck. His hand followed the dark, silky strands, and Bella's breath caught as his hand tickled down the exposed skin of her chest where a stray curl was resting.

Up until now, his touch, while sensual, was completely innocent. But once he felt her breath hitch and saw her eyes darken, Edward didn't want to stop at innocent petting. Once his hand reached the very end of her loose curl, Edward change the trajectory of his path, letting his hand float upward on her torso, beneath the borrowed blazer, directly under the gentle curve of her breast. Bella felt her eyes flutter closed and her mouth part slightly at the strong, warm pressure of his palm against her body. Only the thin material of her dress now separated his hand and her skin, and she was mentally begging for more contact.

Edward sat up suddenly, which snapped Bella into consciousness. At first, she thought he was getting up to leave, and she sat upwards, ready to object. But instead, he stood before her sitting form, still unusually silent, and ran both his hands underneath the jacket, up her sides and toward her shoulders. Before she knew it, he had loosened the jacket from her shoulders and was letting it fall down her bare arms, pooling on the bed at her hands. Bella leaned forward toward him, releasing the jacket and letting Edward fling it off the end of the bed.

Suddenly, she felt very exposed. He was looking down at her with a violent hunger in his eyes, and she knew what he wanted. She wasn't nervous, not a bit. She had felt a constant yearning for him every minute of these last six days, and by this point, was nearly weeping with her need for him.

Bella looked up at him, starting at his strong thighs that stood in front of her, up the hard plains of his abdominal and then onto the defined curve of his pecs all covered by his tight shirt. Her hands then followed the same path as her eyes, trailing first over the worn cotton texture of the denim jeans, up over the hard leather of his belt, and finally onto the smooth silk of his shirt. Once her hands were on his chest, she stopped fast, not out of hesitation, but because his hands had caught hers and froze them in their place. She looked up into his eyes in surprise, and was shocked to find a certain darkness she had never seen there. For being such a sweet, respectful family man and gentleman, it was clear she was driving him to a point of no return. _And all I've done is touch him...how far will he unravel? _Bella thought with uncharacteristic wickedness.

But before Bella could try any other moves, Edward grasped her hands and pulled them up over her head. Her eyes popped open in shock. _Where is this going? _she wondered. Once he had her fully extended, he gently pushed her back against the bed, leaning over her fully. He moved his face toward hers, subtly brushing his lips down the side of her ear. "Keep them there," he whispered, and she shivered immediately in response.

Edward stood back up, looking down at her form to see if Bella would follow his command; she was not one to disappoint. Her arms stayed raised over her head, resting on the mattress above her. She breathed quickly now, and her position, combined with her heaving breaths, was exposing even more of her modest cleavage to Edward than ever before. Additionally, laying down had hiked her skirt up further than it had fallen standing, and that slit that had caught his eye earlier in the night was practically calling to him now. He traced a finger up her thigh, following the fabric until it rejoined the other flap of her wrapped dress. Only an inch further, he knew, and he would find her hip, sheathed in dainty panties. _Lace, I bet. How long will she let me explore before I'm able to find out for sure? _

The entire time Edward had been caressing the skin of her exposed thigh, Bella had been gripping the sheets above her head in tight fists, wishing she could reach out and grasp at Edward to pull him down on top of her. Instead, she decided to follow his command, curious and excited to see where he would take this. So far, she had not been disappointed. _But what next?_ she thought in desperation. "Edward..." she whispered, but he placed a finger on her lips to quiet her words.

Suddenly, Edward was on his knees, lips on Bella's ankle. She giggled slightly, but her laughter turned to gasps as she felt his kisses move higher, traveling up her leg and resting momentarily at the crux of her knee. Edward grinned to himself. _If this was how she responded to those moves, what is she going to do next? _

Slowly, Edward moved his mouth further up her thing, kissing and licking at the inner skin. Her giggles and gasps turned slowly to moans, especially when Edward raised up onto his knees and trailed his lips up past the hem of her dress. "Mmm...Bella, you smell so good. Your skin is so soft." He rubbed his cheek against her silky thigh, and then hiked up the edge of her dress to reveal her black lace underwear. Edward smiled at his correct prediction.

"Edward, please!" Bella whined, feeling his breath against her lacy covering, and yet knowing he was too far away for her liking. Edward finally acquiesced, kissing her center on top of her lace underwear. "Ughnn..." he heard immediately.

Finally, Edward could take no more waiting. He had been torturing himself all week, just getting close enough to her body to really crave it, but staying too far away to really enjoy it to its fullest. He gripped the sides of her underwear and dragged them down her quivering legs. He tossed it back over his shoulder, already forgetting about the scrap of lace when what was in front of him was so much more enticing.

Bella sat up on her elbows, staring down at the attractive man kneeling before her. His copper hair glinted in the low lights of the hotel room, and she shivered in excitement, waiting, wondering.

Finally, all Bella's prayers were answered. His tongue snaked out and licked up Bella's center, parting her and lapping up her wetness. He growled in satisfaction, diving in deeper with pleasure.

In response, Bella fell back onto the bed, moaning loudly in shock. As his tongue moved faster, her breathing increased and her writhing intensified. Bella reached her hands out and grasped onto his short locks, holding his face against her center, fairly kicking her heels against his strong back.

Edward grabbed on tighter to her hip with his left hand, but let his right hand travel toward the location of his tongue. Soon, his thumb was pressing firmly against her most sensitive skin, rubbing lightly.

"Aghhhhh!" Bella yelled out, immediately arching in response to his attentions. "More, more, more…" she mumbled incoherently. Edward listened, and attacked her center with renewed vigor.

Suddenly, it was too much. Every feeling centered at Edward's tongue. Bella was out of her mind, whipping her head and clenching her thighs tight around his head. A moment more and Bella exploded, keening her euphoria loudly into the room. It was a minute before she was even able to open her eyes, and when she did, she saw Edward standing at the foot of the bed, staring darkly into her eyes while slowly unbuckling his belt.


	21. Chapter 21

**Um, I probably should have said this before, but definitely don't read this if you're not of age. It's a little mature, to say the least...**

Chapter 21

_Suddenly, it was too much. Every feeling centered at Edward's tongue. Bella was out of her mind, whipping her head and clenching her thighs tight around his head. A moment more and Bella exploded, keening her euphoria loudly into the room._

_It was a minute before she was even able to open her eyes. When she finally did, she saw Edward standing at the foot of the bed, staring darkly into her eyes while slowly unbuckling his belt._

Edward never broke her gaze, and Bella couldn't help but shiver at the intensity of his stare. He had just given her one of the best orgasms of her life, and yet his eyes on hers was still one of the most intimate moments she could remember having.

She was shocked back to reality when he pulled his belt out of his pants with a quick snap of leather whipping through the air. Even just the sound of it made her pant in excitement.

Edward started on the buttons of his shirt, slowly moving from the top to the bottom, revealing more and more of his toned chest to her hungry gaze. Meanwhile, she continued to recline on the bed, unsure of what to do next. _Should I stand up and undress? Or is that something he wants to do?_ Bella wondered to herself.

Edward quickly solved that problem for her. As soon as he had his shirt unbuttoned, he whispered to her. "Stand up, Bella. I want you to help me."

Bella responded timidly, standing up in front of his half bare chest, his shirt open but still covering his strong shoulders and arms. "Take it off for me," Edward instructed, and Bella glanced up into his eyes for confirmation. He was leading this dance, it seemed. Normally, Bella was not one to take orders from anyone but her boss, though in this situation, the orders were less of a bother and more of a turn on.

All the while holding his gaze, Bella slipped her hands into the open sides of the shirt and glided her hands across the front of his chest and shoulders, before sliding the shirt down and off his torso. She could see his eyes darken in excitement, but otherwise, no other clue gave away his eagerness. She on the other hand could barely contain herself. She rubbed her thighs together earnestly, trying to relieve some of the pressure that had renewed since they'd started this little strip tease. She new from the aching in her breasts that her nipples were straining against the thin material of her dress, and if Edward had any cause to look down, he'd see them too.

By now, the only item of clothing covering Edward's body was his pair of fitted dark jeans, hung low on his bare hips. She glanced down at the waistband, then back up at him with a question in her eyes. He nodded minutely, face still serious and stoic. She tentatively reached out for the button of his jeans with both hands, and slowly released the button, and then moving down further, slid the zipper down with the faintest of sounds.

This time, Bella did not wait for his instructions. _I can surprise him this time,_ she though with excitement. Grasping the material of his jeans in her hands, she dropped down to the ground in a quick second, bringing the pants down as she went. Edward's eyes widened in shock to see his timid Bella make such an abrupt move, especially one that put her at eye level with his straining erection, which at this moment was pushing against his tight, black boxer shorts.

Bella smiled up at his surprised face. "What else do you want me to do, Edward?" she asked in an innocent voice. Her hands were resting on the backs of his thighs, and he could feel her fingers slip under the cotton material and tickle their way higher up his skin.

"Mmmm, Bella," Edward moaned, closing his eyes in a moment of weakness. She watched then as he steeled himself against the sensation of her massaging hands against his thighs. His eyes opened and his jaw set firm. She gulped subtly at his change in demeanor. _I guess he's back in charge…_

"Take them off, baby."

Bella shivered but did as he asked, slipping her hooked fingers into the waistband of his shorts, dragging them down his hips and thighs, all them way down until they hit the floor. And suddenly, she was not eye level with a clothed bulge, but with his actual hard erection, sticking up against his firm belly. Her mouth actually grew dry at the sight, and she had to lick her lips in response.

At the sight of Bella on her knees, licking her lips this close to his member, Edward rumbled with need. Bella watched as the tip of his penis glistened with a newly emerged drop of liquid. _I need to touch him, _Bella thought. _I need to taste him._

Slowly, Bella leaned forward, watching his erection strain out on it's own accord toward her parted mouth. Without waiting for permission, without looking up for assurance, Bella grasped his firm erection in her hand and allowed one, long, wet lick up the front, flicking against the tip and catching the pre-cum on her tongue.

This time, Edward emitted a long, low "Fuckkkkk" and simultaneously grasped her hair in his hands, holding her head closer to his begging member. Bella looked up at Edward and caught his desperate gaze as she dropped her mouth finally onto his long, thick erection, enveloping it fully with her hot mouth. "Ughhh! Bella…oh my God, baby."

Spurred on by his encouraging moans, Bella sucked firmly while moving her hand up and down in concert with her mouth. Edward's hands grasped and pulled at her hair, but instead of hurting or bothering her, the slight pain made her more excited. She even found herself moaning a little on each pass.

"Fuck, baby. Bella, oh fuck." Just as Bella thought it was going to be too much for him she was going to push him over the edge, he grasped below her arms and pulled her to a standing position. She was so surprised that she gaped up at him with an open mouth.

He swooped down unexpectedly and kissed her. Pulling back he whispered, "I want you, all of you. That felt so good, Bella, but if you continued, I couldn't get what I really want."

Edward pulled at the bow at the side of the wrap dress and suddenly what was once wrapped was now unwrapped, hanging at her sides by the thin straps around her shoulders. He immediately yanked the dress off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Gently, he pushed her back against the bed, and as soon as she was lying on the bed. He scooted her back until she was resting on the pillows at the top of the bed.

Both of them were fully naked by now, and Bella was beyond excited for what lay ahead. Edward was not one to disappoint. He crawled over her on the bed, and as soon as he got to her chest, dove in to lick at her hard, exposed nipples. She gasped in euphoric shock, already wet but now drenched as he nipped and pulled and licked at her sensitive buds. "Edward," she gasped, and held him to her chest. "More, Edward. I'm ready for more."

Edward popped up from his position sucking at her breasts, and his mouth was set in a satisfied smile. "You sure you're ready for more, baby? Because you've driven me almost to the point of no return, and I'm not sure I can stop if I'm able to get near this one more time." To punctuate his words, he swiped a finger up her dripping core, and Bella mewled in response.

"Gahhhh. Edward, I'm ready. I want you. Please, now."

Edward's eyes got darker than he'd ever seen them, and soon he was up on his knees, leaning over her with his strong forearms braced around her head. He leaned in for a kiss, and at the same time, pushed slowly forward with his hips, gently enveloping his aching erection in her tight heat. They both moaned in ecstasy at finally being joined, and for a moment, Edward just rested inside of her, too afraid to move and ruin the moment.

But soon, they both could take it no more, and Bella lifted her hips against his, urging him to move, to finally take her. As soon as he started, he couldn't stop. His hips moved against hers sensually, and with every stroke, they both groaned and gasped, unable to believe the amazing feeling of their bodies finally being joined.

After what seemed like an eternity in this paradise, Edward felt himself getting lost in her body. He leaned forward, burying his head in her neck and grasping her hand in his. His other hand he left free to trail down to wear their hips joined, and as he gave his last couple of thrusts, he rubbed circles around her hardened nub. Suddenly, they both were shaking and quivering, and with one final push, Edward moaned Bella's name into her neck and held himself to her tightly, unable to do anything but grasp her spasming body in his arms.

After his heart calmed and his breathing slowed, Edward rolled off of Bella, realizing he was probably crushing her small frame. He brought her to his side, and for a moment, only stared down at her face, glistening with sweat from their activities. Edward couldn't help himself from leaning down to kiss her, and that's where they stayed, locked in the lightest of kisses, practically breathing each other in. It was no longer sensual, but instead just simply loving and intimate. They were so warm, wrapped around each other, lips gently caressing each other, that before either knew it, they drifted off into the most content of sleep.

**Fans herself... woah. Peace, love, and review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Happy holidays, folks! Sorry for the long time between updates. Family, food, and football called recently. **

Edward woke up with a start. He heard the shower turn on the adjacent bathroom, and the once-warm space in bed beside him was now vacant. He realized he had slept through the entire night, not waking up once to toss or turn; a full night's sleep hadn't happened for months.

With Bella in the shower, Edward allowed himself a moment to reflect on last night's events. A smile came to his lips as he remembered the most scintillating of details, including their ultimate act that left them both deeply sated and too pleased to move.

His smile left him as he remembered that today was both their last days in Nashville, their last days amidst the rosy glow of a vacation romance. He knew that he and Bella lived in the same city, and if all went well, they could make it work. He also knew, though, that real life was very good at making things much more difficult than they had to be. _If only I could prolong the inevitable just a few hours more_, he thought wistfully, and then shot up in excitement, a plan already forming in his head.

Meanwhile, Bella lazily soaped up her body, faintly humming in the warm, steamy shower. She too was thinking back on their night's adventures, and couldn't help but hum in pleasure as she let the hot water sluice against her most sensitive skin, made even more so by last night's activities.

Suddenly, her errant thoughts of Edward's body were replaced by the real deal. She reacted with a yelp when she felt a hard, naked form connect with her backside. Her surprise turned to playfulness as Edward spun her around, and they met in a sweet, amorous kiss.

"Well, isn't this a welcome surprise," she said against his smiling mouth. "And it appears you are quite the morning person. What has you in such a good mood?"

Edward laughed and kissed her again, wrapping his toned arms around her slippery body. "How could I not be? I have a sexy, naked, and very wet woman in my arms. Well, really the best part is that it's a sexy, naked, and very wet _Bella_ that I have in my arms. I couldn't ask for any more."

"Oh really?" she said in a playful tone. "You wouldn't just ask for maybe one more thing? With that, Bella smiled wickedly and let her hand trail down between them to grasp at his semi-firm morning erection.

The only response was a deep growl as Edward dove down for a passionate kiss.

…

Just an hour later, Edward and Bella were hand in hand, walking in the bright fall day, headed toward Edward's favorite coffee shop, Frothy Monkey, for a latte and some breakfast pastries.

"Ugh," Bella groaned. "I can't believe I have to be at the airport in just six hours!"

Edward swung her hand, suddenly unsure about what he was about to say. "Ahem…make that nine hours…"

Bella looked at him with a confused expression. Suddenly, it dawned on her. "Edward, what did you do?"

Edward smiled sheepishly, pulling her into his chest, hoping that a quick snuggle would ease any tension. "I sort of…changed your flight to be on mine. I hope you're not mad!" The abashed expression on his face showed that he was more pleased than sorry, and it quickly brought Bella around to his side.

She sighed, and then smiled slightly. "No, I'm not mad, silly. But you can't just be changing my travel plans whenever you want, you know! You need to ask me, next time."

As Edward placed an apologetic kiss on her upturned lips, he couldn't help but smile at her innocuous but meaningful reference to the future.

…

Five hours later found Bella and Edward snuggled up on the Cullen's giant media-room sectional, joined by Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie. Carlisle and Esme were flitting around, procuring drinks and snacks as the entire gang watched the Arizona Cardinals take on the Tennessee Titans in a Sunday football match up. Unsurprisingly, Rosalie and Emmett were the loudest of the cheering section, though Edward clearly knew the most about the game from his daily position on the sidelines.

Alice, Jasper, and Bella were enjoying watching the game, though none of them were particularly ardent fans. Bella was rooting for the Cardinals, as they were her hometown team growing up, while the Cullen clan was of course rooting for the Nashville team.

"Bella, you'll have to come out for a Titans game sometime! We love going when Emmett doesn't have a game, and when I'm not on tour." Rosalie casually threw out at Bella during a commercial break.

"Yeah!" Alice chimed in with excitement, pausing in the midst of choreographing a complicated touchdown dance she was showing to Jasper.

"Uh, yeah, I'd love that…" Bella floundered, peeking at Edward from the corner of her eye, wondering what he thought about her accepting an invitation to hang out with his family in the future. She looked away quickly, cheeks already quite pink, and just missed the scant smile that dawned on Edward's lips a mere moment later.

Bella suddenly felt Edward's arm curl around her side, and this time when she peeked over at him, she didn't miss the smile on his face. "Maybe we can come when the Seahawks are playing the Titans. I think there's a game here in December."

Bella nodded in bubbling excitement, not wanting to seem to eager but already on board. _Edward, Nashville, December? _She thought. _All of those sound good together! _

Bella and Edward spent their last few hours in a mostly similar position, sometimes pausing to cheer or grab a piece of pizza, or in Bella's case, flip through an old photo Album dedicated specifically to Edward's awkward teenage years.

"OH! Look at the puka shell necklace," Bella choked out, overcome with giggles. "And the frosted tips!"

Raucous laughter followed her observations, and Edward glared out at his family, all of who were so obviously enjoying themselves at his expense.

"They were in at the time," he groaned. "We couldn't all be flawless beauties like I'm sure you were, my dear."

Bella snorted loudly at his guess. "Hardly! I wore a headgear from fifth to seventh grade. And when I finally got rid of that, I was into the blue eye shadow trend. My early years were no better than yours, Edward." She smiled sweetly at him, but then mischievously. "Which is why it's good that it's your mama that's here to embarrass you with photographic evidence, and not mine!" And with that, Bella was onto another album, this one from the formative and slightly less-awkward years at Vanderbilt.

**Peace, love, and review!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Thank you for your patience and support! Here is the final chapter of Turbulence! More might come as small vignettes or peeks into the future (likely NSFW lemonny goodness), but you'll have to beg for them, since I survive off of Christmas cookies and reviews. **

Chapter 23

"Have a nice flight!" The agent checking the tickets smiled pleasantly at Bella and Edward as they passed through the gate and began down the tunnel toward the waiting plane. Bella smiled back, and then waited behind other passengers while Edward caught up behind her.

Bella jumped slightly as Edward's hands gently rubbed her shoulders, which until that moment she hadn't realized were tensed. "Relax, Bella." Edward whispered. She leaned back against his firm chest and he kissed the side of her head gently, causing her to close her eyes and sigh deeply.

Flying caused her to stress out already; add in the pressure of returning back to Seattle in the midst of starting a new relationship and trying to navigate a potential career…triple the tension. That reminded her: she needed to check her phone for any word from Billy, Carrie's manager. She had sent over the song earlier that afternoon, but had no idea what or when to expect anything back from him. _It probably won't go anywhere…that break would be way too lucky._

As they shuffled forward down the gangway, Bella quickly refreshed her email for any word from Billy. Nothing yet. She did, however, have a new email from Alice. She opened it and was greeted with a pic of the entire Cullen clan, all smiling in a crowded selfie for the camera. The message attached was what Bella's smile grow even larger:

_We miss you already, Bella! Since you don't have any pictures of the family, we thought we'd send you with one of all of us. Hopefully it serves as a reminder that you're welcome back here anytime. You and Eddy have a safe flight! _

Edward was looking over her shoulder and chuckled in response to the message. He whispered into her ear, "They love you. They'd be crazy not to." Bella shivered, feeling like his message was regarding more than just his family's feelings for her. She was distracted from her thoughts as the line moved forward and Bella was forced to focus on finding her seat.

An hour later, Bella and Edward were safely buckled into their seats and gliding up through the clouds. Edward had held her hand through the takeoff, and she was happy to see that he hadn't taken it away yet. As it was a night flight, the cabin lights had been dimmed and the entire plane was shrouded in peaceful darkness. Bella and Edward, tucked far in the back away from the prying eyes of most of the other passengers, snuggled into each other under an airline blanket. Edward had purchased two airplane-sized bottles of wine and they were sipping them between whispers and laughter. _Not the most romantic setting for a date, but still pretty darn good. _

"Favorite place to eat in Seattle?"

"Los Agaves, downtown," Bella responded quickly.

"I haven't tried it. You'll have to take me soon. I love Mexican food."

Bella barely contained her squeal at hearing him casually reference the future. No matter how much she tried to trust in his feelings for her, she was still so uncertain about where this was going once they touched back down to Earth.

"Your turn," she said. "Favorite coffee shop?" She whispered because all the passengers in their nearest vicinity were deep in sleep.

"Café Besalu," Edward said after some thinking. "It was a tie with Milstead & Co. but I'm obsessed with the pastries at Besalu."

"Oh I've been there, I think! Really yummy _pan au chocolat_, right? Mmmm, I could go for one of those and a mocha on a rainy morning." She thought for a moment. "I guess that would mean I'd be eating a lot of those, it being Seattle and all."

They both laughed, and Edward finished off the last of his tiny airplane Pinot Noir. Bella looked up at him and noticed his lips were slightly tinged purple from the dark stain of the wine.

"You're lips, they're stained," she commented, touching his full bottom lip with the pads of her finger. Edward caught her hand and held it briefly against his mouth before guiding her fingers so they brushed softly along the seam of his lips. Bella gasped in sudden need, and despite their semi-public location, had not a single qualm about leaning in a replacing her fingers with her lips.

The two kissed for a long moment, Edward's hand still grasping Bella's, but now on the blanket covering them. They were jolted from their embrace by a sudden bump. Bella gasped, not believing that they would have turbulence on this flight as well, but then bursting into embarrassed giggles as she saw it was just a wider-than-normal passenger squeezing through the aisle on the way to the lavatory. _No more kissing in the airplanes. Avoid spectators at all costs! _

So in lieu of kissing further, Bella snuggled against Edward's chest and let him gently pet her hair until they both fell into uncomplicated, dreamless naps.

* * *

><p>Later on…<p>

"Gosh, Bella, how much stuff did you pack?" Angela groaned as she lugged Bella's suitcase behind her. Bella shrugged. "Oh come on, Ang. It's not like it's only for a week this time. I had to put everything I own into these suitcases!"

Bella was gesturing to the rest of the living room, where Edward and Ben were busy zipping up and gathering together the various bags, cases, and boxes that were filled to the brim with all of Bella's belongings.

Edward threw a devastatingly handsome smile in Bella's direction. "But at least she cleared out her closet, Angela, so you can move in and fill it right back up!"

Ben was the one groaning now. He rolled his eyes at Edward. "This is nothing in comparison to Angela's overflowing wardrobe. Thank goodness you have a spare bedroom in here, Bella. At least I'll have somewhere to put my things!"

The foursome laughed at Ben's description of his new wife's clothing addiction. The two had recently eloped in Hawaii and were moving in together for the first time…into Bella's apartment in Seattle.

Bella, on the other hand, was embarking on her own adventure. She was following her dream out to Music City, Tennessee. Luckily, she didn't have to do it alone. They had loaded up the Uhaul with Edward's stuff earlier in the day. Tomorrow morning they were hitching it to his Jeep and driving it on a romantic road trip across the United States.

As Ben and Angela headed toward the kitchen to get the pizza out of the oven and the beers from the fridge, Edward came over to Bella and put his arms around her. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" he asked her quietly.

Bella smiled serenely up at him. "So ready," she replied. And she really was.

Just two days ago she had marched into Jessica's office and giddily presented her boss with her letter of immediate resignation. She still giggled when she pictured the shocked look on the editor's face when she stammered out questions.

"_Where are you going?" "What am I supposed to do without you?" "Who's going to help me do my job?" _

_It was with supreme pleasure that Bella answered her. "I'm going to Nashville, Jessica. I'm going to be a songwriter. And as for the last two questions: I don't know, and I don't really give a damn. Good luck!" And with a bright smile, Bella bounced out of her former-boss/permanent-SheDevil's office. _

"And even if I wasn't ready, I'd need to get there fast! Carrie can't be waiting for my brain to catch up to my heart. She needs them both functioning so that we can work on her new album."

Bella was of course referring to the partnership that she and Carrie had quickly forged after the star had realized that Bella's lyrical style and talent with words appealed to her market. The demo that Bella had sent over the first weekend they'd met was a hit with the country music legend. And while Carrie had not ultimately decided to go that direction for her new album, she immediately booked Bella for some songwriting sessions via Skype.

After a few months of online communication, it became too complicated. Luckily, Edward had presented a solution around that very time. Immediately following their Nashville visit, he began looking for work closer to his family in the south. Finally, after months of searching, an old colleague helped him find a job with the Vanderbilt football team. With this new position, he was managing the team of physical trainers and team physicians that took care of the large football squad.

It was only three days ago that he had presented her with the happy news, and it didn't take long for them to start planning the next step: moving to Nashville together.

Bella smiled as she sat down to pizza with her dear friends. Though she would miss them—she knew that Edward would too since he'd spent the last 5 months getting to know them closely—she felt excited for her and Edward's new adventure.

"I can't believe this day is finally here!" Angela exclaimed dramatically. "It felt like only yesterday I was pushing you onto the plane to get started on following your dreams. Now you're living them!" She wiped a fake tear from her eye. "My baby's all grown up."

Everyone at the table laughed. Edward grabbed Bella's left hand and ran his finger along the rough edges of the piece of jewelry that newly sat upon the third finger. "Aw, Angela, you know we move quickly. Before you know it, you and Ben will be standing up alongside us at the church."

And with that, the two girls once again got started on wedding plans and ideas. They'd been at it all day, but Edward didn't care one bit. He was just so happy to see his future bride beaming with the joy he knew he felt inside.

Finito

**Like always: peace, love, and review! **


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